Latest available figures1
The most recent figures on poverty and social exclusion show the following about one-parent families in Ireland:
Nearly one in five people in lone parent households (17.8%) were in consistent poverty in 2008, the highest rate recorded among household types.
Lone parent households continued to be the household type with the highest ‘at risk of poverty’ rate with a rate of 36.4% being recorded for individuals in these households
Lone parent households reported the highest deprivation levels of any household type with nearly one quarter (24.2%) of individuals in these households experiencing three or more of the eleven deprivation items in 2008.
One in five lone parent households went without heating at some stage in the last year.
Almost one-third were unable to replace worn out furniture.
Poverty Trends 2004 – 20072
Overall there was a decline in both the ‘at risk’ (from 19 per cent in 2004 to 16 percent in 2007) and consistent poverty rates (from 6.6 per cent in 2004 to 5.1 per cent 2007) from 2004 – 2007. A decrease in the depth of poverty, that is how far below the 60% median income line people fell, was also noted. However, children were the highest “at risk” of poverty group across the life cycle. The continuing high concentration of poverty amongst children in one parent families is illustrated by the fact that according to EU-SILC in 2004, of all the children in poverty, 51 per cent were from one parent families while in 2006 this figure rose to 65 per cent.
Notes
EU-SILC Survey of Income and Living Conditions.
‘at risk of poverty’ is defined as living on less than 60% of median income
‘consistent poverty’ is defined as having an income below 60% of the median and being unable to afford basic necessities. (See the CSO website for further details)
References:
1 Central Statistics Office (2009) Survey of Income and Living Conditions 2008 Dublin: The Stationery Office.
2Russell, H., Maitre, B. and Nolan B. (2010) Monitoring Poverty Trends in Ireland 2004-2007: Key Issues for Children, People of Working Age and Older People Dublin: ESRI
