Loneliness is something we need to tackle along with mental health, including having a dedicated Junior Minister.
That's according to Irish Independent Columnist Mary McCarthy, who believes this is an issue right across society.
It comes after the US Surgeon-General recently warned loneliness and isolation increase the risk for individuals to develop mental health challenges.
Dr Vivek Murthy said lacking connection can "increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking daily."
The UK has also had a Minister for Loneliness since 2018.
Ms McCarthy told Moncrieff this issue has gotten worse since the pandemic.
"Even before the pandemic, the CSO do an annual loneliness check, and 6.3% of people said they felt lonely nearly all or all of the time," she said.
"I thought [that] was staggering - that's a huge amount - then obviously during COVID that doubled.
"The most recent one hasn't been done yet, but I'd be interested to see has that continued?"
Social media: Pros and cons
Ms McCarthy said loneliness can also be found in younger people, as was highlighted by the OECD.
"15-year-olds, since 2003, they've felt more lonely at school each year".
She said this is likely exacerbated by use of social media.
"I would imagine social media can make you feel a little bit lonely," she said.
"Just thinking back to what I was a teen... if your friends left you out, and you saw pictures of them hanging out in Dundrum, that would make you feel twice as lonely as not getting the call".
Social media apps on an iPhone. Picture by: Iain Masterton / Alamy Stock PhotoMs McCarthy said social media does have positives as well.
"It's hard to brush social media as completely negative because for older people - my mom is in her mid-70s - and it's great," she said.
"She can text grandkids - definitely there's a lot of pluses.
"If you use it a moderate amount you're OK, but the studies show - especially for girls - if you use it a lot your mental health suffers.
"I think we can talk about mental health now, but we can't really talk about loneliness.
"There's still a stigma to it".
Ms McCarthy said the new minister could help people make social contact.
"We talk about mental health, but let's get specific," she said.
"Maybe if we put funding there for a Junior Minister for Loneliness - call it Social Collection or Social Life or whatever - just to make decisions to make it easy for people to make social contact.
"For instance: in my area every year we have this party in this square we have.
"That's only been in the last three years, but it actually has made a difference," she added.
