Loneliness is experienced by a significant number of individuals of all ages. A recent survey by the Joint Research Centre (JRC; 2022) reported 13% of people living in the EU felt lonely most or all of the time. Ireland was found to have the highest prevalence of loneliness, with 20% of respondents choosing those answers.

Furthermore, in May 2023, the US Surgeon General declared loneliness as a new public health epidemic and explained it can have profound impacts on mental health, cardiovascular health, and increases risk for conditions such as dementia.

These recent findings highlight the need for up-to-date and high-quality research developed in Ireland to support policy change to alleviate the suffering associated with loneliness across the island.

In 2018, a coalition of organisations came together as the Loneliness Taskforce to address the issue of loneliness in Ireland. This taskforce includes members of ALONE, The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, Disability Federation of Ireland, Family Carers Ireland, Prof Roger O’Sullivan, Prof Brian Lawlor, The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Samaritans Ireland, Mental Health Reform, Muintir na Tíre, Jigsaw, The National Women’s Council of Ireland, and LGBT Ireland.

However, there remained a need for a dedicated loneliness research network to ensure high-quality research on loneliness is produced in Ireland, to inform policy reform and reflecting the reality of those with lived experience.

ALONE offered its full support in creating this network and has proposed to act as a link between the Loneliness Taskforce, the research network, and service providers in the area.

This website will host all things related to the Irish Loneliness Taskforce Research Network and we will endeavor to include all things loneliness research in Ireland ranging from publications, opportunities for funding or collaboration, network members, regular blog posts, and more.