Scale of inequality a drag on economy
THE Barnardos’ survey on school costs highlights the inequality of the Irish education system and the struggle facing parents dependent on social welfare or on low incomes to pay for their children’s basic education. These findings are in line with other research which demonstrate that levels of inequality are increasing in Ireland.
Recent results from the CSO Survey of Income and living Conditions 2010 confirm what most Irish people are aware of — the gap between the top and bottom 20% of income earners is increasing. The well-off are getting richer compared to the rest of the population and are suffering little or no repercussions from the economic crash. Average income of the top 20% of earners was 5.5 greater than those in the lowest 20%. This inequality ratio is up from 4.3 a year earlier.
