Westmeath Community Development

Minister Carey, Helen Russell and Bertrand Maitre at the ESRI poverty poverty launch

COMMUNITY Minister Pat Carey has today asserted that our emergence from our current economic problems will be judged by our capacity to create “a more just, socially inclusive and equitable society”.

 He made his comment at the launch of a major new report into poverty in Ireland carried out by the Economic Social and Research Institute.

The ESRI report entitled, “Monitoring Poverty Trends in Ireland 2004-2007: Key Issues for Children, People of Working Age and Older People” studies the evolution of poverty in Ireland during that four year period.

The period marks the end of the first ten year National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS) in Ireland which ran from 1997 to 2007.

It also marks the beginning of the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007 to 2016.

This period coincided with the final stages of the economic boom in Ireland and while “tangible progress was made, the results show that poverty remained a very real issue for many households”. 

Why not read the full report here PDF   (3.17Mb)

  MONITORING POVERTY TRENDS IN IRELAND 2004-2007

Some key findings from the report:

Among the total population

• A decline in the “at risk of poverty” rate, which is the proportion of individuals falling below the poverty line set at 60% of median income, from 19% in 2004 to 16% in 2007.
• A decline in the consistent poverty rate, which combines income poverty and the enforced absence of at least two items from an eleven item deprivation scale, from 7% in 2004 to 5% in 2007.
• The rate of decline in poverty was lower than that anticipated by the targets set by NAPS.

Why not read the Press Release from Minister Pat Carey which contains more of the reports main findings.

Launching the report Minister Carey said the report showed that government social policies had made a difference…

It shows that social equality or inequity is no accident or mere consequence of economic conditions. In good times and bad, social equity can be driven by Government policy and this report reminds us of that fact.

It is a timely reminder and raises important policy issues for consideration by Government as we face into Budget 2011 when more tough choices will be needed in order to secure our future economic prosperity.

 Minister Carey added that “protecting those who are most vulnerable is a priority consideration for the Government”.

The success of our economic recovery will not be judged exclusively by our ability to return to economic growth and fiscal stability; it will also be judged by our capacity to emerge from our current problems as a more just, socially inclusive and equitable society.

Why not read Minister Pat Carey’s speech at the launch of the report at government Buildings today

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Tags: ESRI Publication Monitoring Poverty Trends in Ireland 2004-2007