EUROPEAN ANTI-POVERTY NETWORK IRELAND
20 March 2025
The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) Ireland today expressed shock, but not surprise, as the latest findings from the CSO showed that poverty levels increased across all measures between 2023 and 2024. The Government’s commitment is to reduce consistent poverty to 2% or less by the end of this year, but levels increased from 3.6% in 2023 to 5% or over 264,000 people in 2024, the highest rate since 2019.
Speaking following the release of the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) 2024, Paul Ginnell, Director of the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) Ireland stated that:
“We are shocked and deeply concerned about what this lasted data on poverty shows us. Even with the cost-of-living measures in place, poverty levels increased in 2024. Our concern now is what the new Government will do to address this given that the cost of living is still increasing. This must focus on permanent and not one-off measures.”
“Poverty levels were particularly high for children, who account for almost 2 in every 5 people in consistent poverty. Other groups experiencing particularly high level of poverty include those who are unemployed, 18.9% of whom are in consistent poverty, with 19% or almost 1 in 5 of those unable to work due to long-standing health problems also in consistent poverty. 11% of lone parent households were in consistent households with over 46% experiencing enforced deprivation. There is also a stark difference depending on whether you own your home or not, with those renting or living rent free accounting for 3 in 4 of those in consistent poverty”. said Mr Ginnell.
Mr Ginnell concluded:
“This year the Government’s Roadmap for Social Inclusion will come to an end and It looks like they are on course to dramatically fail to achieve the overall goal of reducing consistent poverty to 2% or less, and leave so many people struggling to live a life with dignity. Any new strategy must do better, and seriously address the structural changes needed to make a real impact. This includes ensuring everyone has an income that is adequate for a decent life and investing in the public delivery of quality and affordable public services. This must be an immediate focus for Government.”
Key findings from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC): Enforced Deprivation 2024:
- The at risk of poverty threshold increased to €17,998 in 2024. This is the 60% poverty line. The poverty line was €344.92 per week.
- 11.7% or over 618,000 of people were at risk of poverty in 2024, up from 3.6% in 2023. 14.1% would have been at-risk of poverty without the cost-of living measures.
- At risk of poverty rate for children was 15.3%. One in three of those who were unemployed (34.1%) and those unable to work due to a long-standing health problems (32.5%) were at-risk of poverty. Around one quarter of those in single adult households were at-risk of poverty including households with single adults aged 65 and over (25.9%), single adults under 65 (24%) and lone parent families (24.2%). 21.8% of those renting or rent free were also at-risk of poverty, three times higher than those who owned their home (7.3%).
- The percentage of people living in enforced deprivation decreased from 17.3% in 2023 to 15.7% or almost 830,000 people in 2024. This is those who could not afford 2 of 11 essential items.
- The groups most likely to experience enforced deprivation in 2024 were those living in single-adult households with children under 18 (46.3%); unable to work due to long-standing health problems (38.5%); unemployed (37.8%); and those living in rented or rent-free accommodation (31.5%). Over one in five children (21.2%) was in enforced deprivation
- The consistent poverty rate, those people who are both at risk of poverty and experiencing enforced deprivation, was 5.0%, compared with 3.6% for the previous year, 4.9% in 2022 and 4.2% in 2021.
- Consistent poverty was highest for those who were unemployed (18.9), those unable to work due to long-standing health problems (19%) and lone parent households (11%). 8.5% of children were in consistent poverty, up from 4.8% in 2023 and accounting for almost two in five of all those in consistent poverty and Over one in eight of those renting or rent free (12.5%) were in consistent poverty compared to 1.7% of those who owned their home.
- The 10% of households with the lowest disposable income (i.e. the first decile) had a mean nominal disposable income of €309 per week, compared to €3,257 per week for households in the tenth or highest income decile.
- In SILC 2024, the quintile share ratio stood at 3.8, unchanged from 2023. This indicates that the total income of the richest 20% was almost four times that of the poorest 20%.