Ireland ranks poorly on EU social justice scale

Ireland ranks 11th of 15 similar EU countries on a range of social and economic indicators, according to a report released to coincide with World Day of Social Justice.

A Measuring Progress report finds that compared to other similar countries, Ireland scores poorly on the UN’s sustainable development goals in areas including the environment, gender equality, responsible consumption and production, climate action, affordable clean energy, and reducing inequality.

The report’s authors, Charles Clark, Catherine Kavanagh, and Niamh Lenihan found that Ireland was “particularly poor” on low pay, long-term unemployment, household debt, and greenhouse gas emissions.

“There are positives in this report, such as Ireland making the top third of rankings in quality education,” said Seán Healy of Social Justice Ireland.

“However, our particularly bad performance on environment and inequalities emphasises the need for these sustainable development goals to become an integrated part of policy formation across the board.”

Ireland made the top five in quality education and life on land. But it was lowest for responsible consumption and productions, and was in the bottom five for four other goals: gender equality, reducing inequality, affordable and clean energy, and international partnership on sustainable development.