Almost 25% of households are jobless

Almost a quarter of Irish households are jobless — either none of the occupants are working or have very limited access to work — and there is a real danger those households will "transmit" joblessness and poverty across generations.

A report by the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) states, according to the latest figures, 23% of Irish households were “jobless” compared with an EU15 average of 11%. The next highest percentage after Ireland was 13% in Britain and Belgium.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the figure here was not acceptable: “56% of these jobless households are families with children. If this situation is not addressed it will perpetuate the cycle of joblessness, hopelessness and welfare dependency. The sharp increase in jobless households, from an already high level, will have lasting economic and social consequences for generations to come unless we have specific, targeted solutions.”