Low marks for education

This one is a catch-up from September ‘07…

An OECD report fount that Ireland spends less on education than most other industrialised countries, with class sizes among the largest, according to Ireland.com.

OECD Education at a Glance (large download: 456-page pdf)

Highest prices, bar Denmark

Ireland has the highest prices in Europe after Denmark, according to a survey of 29 countries reported in The Irish Times (subscription).

One of Europe’s worst climate offenders

Ireland has been shamed as one of only three European countries with a “very poor” performance rating on climate change. Luxembourg and Cyprus are the only two European countries with a worse performance, according to a UN report cited by breakingnews.ie.

Irish airlines top complaints league

Irish airlines are the worst in Europe, measured by the volume of passenger complaints reported by the European Consumer Centre (.pdf), RTÉ reports.

Highest charges as talk time myth is busted

Irish people pay the highest prices in Europe for telecommunications, at 16pc above the EU average in 2005, the Irish Independent reports.

Mobile phone operators have long claimed that the Irish pay more because they talk more, but a Eurostat consumer report shows that this is untrue.

Eurostat: Consumers in Europe (.pdf) 

Workers get lowest share in Europe

ireland.com (subscription): Ireland is “bottom of the league” in Europe when it comes to giving workers a share of national wealth, Prof Kathleen Lynch of UCD’s Equality Studies Centre told a conference on equality yesterday.

Most expensive telephones in Europe

Even before this week’s increase in the line rental charge by monopoly telco Eircom, Irish people had been paying by far the most in Europe, a wireless broadband provider has claimed.

Most understaffed and inaccessible MS services

The Irish Times (subscription) and eircom.net:
Ireland has the most understaffed and inaccessible neurological services in Europe for people who have multiple sclerosis, an international conference has heard.

City of scurriers

Dublin has the fifth fastest pace of life in the world, according to a study that used walking speed as its yardstick, Yahoo! News reports.

Worst road death figures for young

Ireland has the worst road death figures in Europe, when it comes to young people, with over one third of those killed on Irish roads under 25. Ireland also has a poor record in use of seat belts, RTÉ News reports. European Commission press release