Indicator 5.1 in the latest edition of the NERI’s Quarterly Economic Facts document tracks trends in poverty and deprivation in the Republic of Ireland from 2004 to 2012 – the latest year where data is available. Overall it reflects a decrease in poverty levels to 2009 before these began to increase again as the recent economic crisis took hold.
Data on deprivation offers a further insight into these recent trends. It measures the proportion of the population who are unable to afford any of eleven basic items. The items range from two pairs of strong shoes, to a warm waterproof coat, to the ability to replace worn out furniture.
The chart reports the proportion of the population experiencing deprivation on each of these items since just before the start of the recent economic crisis (2007). Across the period the rates have continued to rise for all of the indicators giving an insight into the impact of the recession on the living standards of individuals across the state.
While these deprivation items are considered among the basics for normal participation in society, the growth in the numbers living without them points towards the difficulties many hundreds of thousands of households have had in making ends-meet over the past few years.
In the latest edition of the NERI’s Quarterly Economic Facts document , indicator 5.1 examines these trends using data from the CSO’s Survey of Income and Living Conditions.