Report shows economic recovery not benefitting all
Irish people are more likely to live in substandard housing, pay over the odds for rent, and have trouble accessing healthcare than many of our EU neighbours, according to a new report.
Analysis by Social Justice Ireland says the situation prevails despite the improvement in the economy, proving that that belief in the ‘trickle-down’ approach to social policy is flawed.
Sean Healy, the think-tank’s director, said: “While economic growth has indeed led to improvement in living standards and investment in infrastructure and public services, the benefits of this improvement in living standards have been distributed in a grossly unequal fashion.
“This is true both in Ireland and in other EU countries. We need to move away from a policy of prioritising economic growth over all else.
If this is not done, there is real danger that the damage to social cohesion across the EU caused by the crisis in 2008 will never be repaired.
The group’s latest report finds that Ireland is performing well in a number of important areas relative to other EU member states — unemployment is down and the rate of early school-leaving is low (5% compared to an EU average of over 10%).
However, one in eight of the population lives in substandard housing with defects such as a leaking roof, damp and/or rot. Housing affordability is also an issue, with more than one in five private tenants paying almost half their disposable income in rent. Almost one in 10 pay over 60%, with one in 20 paying 75%.
Despite the economic recovery, the number of people finding it difficult to make ends meet in Ireland is still higher than it was before the recession in 2007.
All but six other EU member states have seen a decrease in the numbers in financial distress over that period.
Ireland is one of 10 countries with a significant problem providing equal access to healthcare. Just 41% of people say they trust the Government, although that is an improvement on a decade ago when just 32% said the same thing.
Ireland’s environmental record is poor, with carbon emissions rising and just 10.6% of our energy needs being met from renewables. Ireland has been in the bottom seven countries for sustainability for over a decade.
Ireland stands out among EU member states in that our tax take as a percentage of GDP is unusually low and the risk of poverty or social exclusion here is almost equal in the cities, towns and suburbs, and rural areas —24%, 22.5%, and 22% respectively. In almost every other country, the greatest risk is clearly defined as either a city or a rural problem.
