UN figures for Ireland ‘outdated’

A UNITED Nations report that shows Ireland at the bottom of the poverty league is outdated and inaccurate, the Government claimed yesterday.

Social Affairs Minister Seamus Brennan dismissed the figures contained in the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report for 2006, and said literacy figures were 11 years old.

Only Norway, Iceland and Australia come ahead of Ireland for life expectancy, education and income levels. The nation has jumped four places from last year’s report.