People living in poverty face impossible decisions about money, which bill will be paid and which will remain unpaid, what will and won’t be purchased, the level of debt a household will take on in order to make ends meet. Poverty causes significant harm to the wellbeing, physical and mental health, of families and individuals. It damages communities, wider society, and the economy. It is estimated that the annual public service cost of poverty to Ireland each year is almost €4.5bn.
Addressing poverty and inequality requires a whole-of-Government, rights-based approach, based on fairness, dignity, and respect. Our public services and supports must acknowledge and respond to the complexities of poverty, along with the systematic and institutional failures that embed poverty within our communities.
Anyone with an income which is less than 60% of the median (or middle) income is referred to as being either relatively poor or ‘at risk of poverty’. Incomes in households are weighted depending on the number of adults and children to arrive at the disposable income for each individual. In 2019, 12.8% of the population were living below the poverty line (at risk-of poverty) of €14,723 per annum or €275.72 per week.
Travellers
Migrant community
Rural communities
Lower-income groups
Lone parents and their children
People with disabilities
Households with anyone with paid work
Low-skilled people
People of a minority ethnic background
EAPN Ireland notes that rates of poverty have not returned to 2008 pre-crisis levels, with worrying trends of high poverty levels amongst specific groups. In addition, two major events caused for an increasing level of concern: Covid-19 and the Brexit. 2020 will thus be a challenging year for the Irish government to make poverty numbers decline.
Most affected groups
Single adult households under 65
Single parent households
Unemployed people
People with disabilities or illness
Travelling community, migrant communities, asylum seekers & homeless people
Main priorities
Contact details
EAPN Ireland
Tel: +35 31 8745737
Fax: +35 31 8781289
E-mail: enquiries (@ ) eapn.ie
Website: www.eapn.ie