A Growing Need
A country growing older, quickly
Ireland’s population is ageing among the fastest in Europe. More than 800,000 people are now aged 65 or over, a figure that has risen sharply over the past decade and is set to keep climbing for years to come. Behind that number is a simple, growing need: more people, every year, who want to stay independent and connected but can no longer manage everything on their own.
It is certainly true that many people these days are leading happier, healthier lives for longer. However, most people will have at least a short period in their lives when they need that little bit of extra help, and our Companion Drivers are always happy to step up to fill the gap.
Where The Need Is Greatest
This isn’t confined to any one part of Ireland. In towns and villages, public transport is thin and, for many older people, driving is no longer an option, so a hospital appointment, a weekly shop or a family visit can easily become the hardest part of the week.
In larger towns and cities, the distances are shorter, but being surrounded by people is no guarantee against isolation, and those same everyday journeys still depend on help that isn’t always there.
All of these communities currently lack the same thing: a reliable, personal service that can make a real difference to the lives of the people who live there.
More Than Just a Car Ride
Just because someone is getting older, or finds it difficult to get around for other reasons, doesn’t mean they stop wanting to live their lives just like anyone else. At Driving Miss Daisy, we help people to remain happy, active members of society. Our clients are not just those seeking help with physical activities, but also those who are seeking the caring companionship they need to enjoy life to the fullest.
However, this is so much more than taking clients from A to B — we stay by their side to make sure they’re safe, supported, and never rushed. Our wrap-around assistance helps clients get to critical appointments with confidence and on time, improves recovery and wellbeing, and reduces ongoing health and social costs.
It’s about providing a familiar face who helps someone from their living room, sometimes even staying with them through an appointment or social outing and always returning them safely home again. That difference is what sets Driving Miss Daisy apart, and it’s exactly what no taxi service, care agency, or community support scheme has yet been able to provide at scale.
As our partner, you and your teams will be both indispensable aids and an essential lifeline for those most in need in your community.
Why Ireland, and Why Now?
Ireland shares the same unmet demand that Driving Miss Daisy has successfully met across New Zealand, Australia and the UK. Its culture shares many of the same characteristics, too – though we believe that Ireland’s strong emphasis on community and extended family is what makes it a market of exceptional potential. That instinct – that people should look out for one another – is the very thing the service is built on. When family can’t always be there, Driving Miss Daisy can.
A full market entry study has examined the demand, mapped the territories across the Republic and confirmed what the day-to-day picture suggests: there’s a clear, national opportunity here, and no established competitor offering this service in any professional form.
For the right person, that combination of proven demand, a widening need and an open field is exactly what makes Ireland worth taking on now.