Irish poverty risk ‘greatest in Europe’
Despite rising income levels, Ireland is on a par with Portugal and Slovakia when measured on European Union poverty rankings.
EU figures show 20.9% of Irish people were close to being on the breadline during 2004, a worse percentage of people than Greece, Spain and Estonia.
The “at-risk” rate fell to 19.7% last year but yesterday the Central Statistical Office’s published its own figures into the extent of deep poverty in Ireland in 2005.
The CSO revealed almost one-in-five people had gone without regular hot meals, proper heating or warm clothing at some point during the year — up from 18.3% the year before.
One-in-10 of the population incurred debt through day-to-day living despite disposable income rising 5.3% in 2005 to €378.84 per person after tax.
Lone-parent families were the hardest hit by deprivation with almost 60% going without decent meals, warm clothing or proper heating.
The CSO’s survey on income and living conditions also revealed poverty rates would be close to 40% of the population if welfare payments and pensions did not exist.
Without pensions and other benefits, 88% of pensioners would be near the breadline but social payouts mean the rate was 20.1% in 2005 compared to 27% the year before.
The CSO said people were at risk of poverty if they had less than €192.74-a-week, which is equivalent to 60% of average disposable income.
On debt, families with children came out worse with 40% of lone parents and 10.2% of traditional families reporting problems along with 15.3% of people in other kinds of family households.
During 2005 more women than men experienced the worst kind of poverty with rates of 7.5% against 6.4% respectively compared to 7.4% and 6.2% the year before.
CSO figures also revealed the top 20% of earners in Ireland netted five times more than the bottom 20% in 2005 — as has happened for the last three years.
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