Lone parent families at 'highest risk of poverty'
New research published in partnership with the Department of Social Protection examined persistent income poverty and material deprivation between 2015 and 2023.
Material deprivation is the enforced inability to afford two or more essential goods and services considered the norm for a basic standard of living.
Material deprivation fluctuated with the economic cycle and inflation, increasing in the recent period from 14% in 2021 to 17% in 2023 according to the study.
The study found 22% of people experienced deprivation at least once in two consecutive years between 2016 and 2023 and almost half of these were in persistent deprivation.
People who are "at risk of poverty" relates to those who have have a household income below 60% of the national median income.
Approximately 21% of children in lone parent families were persistently at-risk-of-poverty, between 2016 and 2023 and an average 33% of them were persistently deprived.
On average, 5% of Irish people, were both at risk of poverty and deprived between 2016 to 2023 according to the report.
It says the annual at-risk-of-poverty rate declined from 16% in 2016 to 11% in 2023.
While the persistent at-risk-of-poverty rate declined from 10% in 2015-2016 to 7% in 2022-2023, the latter shows the share of the population who were at risk of poverty for two years in a row, according to the ESRI.
Women were more likely than men to experience transient (i.e. for one year) and persistent material deprivation.
Households in the northern and western regions, people living with low-educated or unemployed household heads, and workless households were significantly more likely to experience transient and persistent poverty and deprivation.
The ESRI has suggested the implementation of targeted policy measures to support lone parents, large families, and households with a person with disabilities is essential to address their high risk of poverty.
It added that "timely adjustments" to social welfare payments, including pensions, "are critical" to protect vulnerable groups from inflation and economic disruptions.
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