Downturn to affect Govt’s anti-poverty efforts

Combat Poverty has warned that the downturn in the Irish economy will pose a major challenge to the Government’s efforts to help disadvantaged sections of society.

Launching its annual report today, the agency said that although progress has been made in some areas, the gap between the rich and the poor is still growing.

Combat Poverty director Helen Johnston said the Celtic Tiger has failed to help many Irish citizens.

"There are still some people who are at high risk of poverty - people who remain unemployed, older women living alone, lone parents, people who suffer long-term illness or have a disability," she said.

"There are still some groups who haven’t been able to participate in the Celtic Tiger economy to the same extent as others."

The Combat Poverty report showed that consistent poverty fell from 15% to 6% of the population between 1994 and 2000, but relative income poverty actually rose from 16% to 22% of the population over the same period.