Gap between rich and poor ‘has never been greater’

DESPITE increasing levels of wealth, Ireland is a more unequal society than ever before, the latest report from the National Economic and Social Forum has found.

The report, to be published today, calls for a more coherent approach to tackle unemployment and proposes intensive "personalised action plans" for individual unemployed people.

According to the report, the richest 20% of the working-age population earns 12 times as much as the poorest 20% one of the highest levels of market income inequality among all OECD countries.