The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Coughlan, has welcomed an ESRI report showing households where no adult was working fell from 22 per cent in 1994 to less than 14 per cent in 2000.
The authors of the study believe there has been no significant change to these figures since 2000.
The independent report conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute also showed that in 1994, 27 per cent of children lived in jobless households, which had fallen to 9 per cent in 2000.
"This was a particularly welcome development given the commitment to tackling child poverty," Ms Coughlan said.
"This report highlights the importance of employment as a route out of poverty. This has been a corner stone of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy since 1997 and the report shows the significant progress which has been made in this regard."
"The report will be of value in the ongoing development of the Government's anti-poverty strategy and in targeting policies to tackle poverty and unemployment, particularly among the categories of households most likely to have no one in work," she added.
According to the figures collated by the ESRI, almost a third of jobless households - more than 40,000 homes - had a net income of less than €127 per week in 2000. Overall, the study found that 74 per cent of these homes fell below the poverty line, set at 50 per cent of the median income. This compares with less than 10 per cent of homes where at least one adult works.
A further 29 per cent of work-poor homes were experiencing basic deprivation, such as lack of adequate heating or other basic necessities.
The Labour Party spokesperson on social and family affairs, Mr Willie Penrose, said recent social welfare cuts would prevent many people from re-entering the workforce.
"The ESRI report makes the point that work-poor households are largely made up of older people, single parents, the sick and disabled, and the long-term unemployed. Moreover, it points out that these people are almost totally reliant on social welfare payments.
"Yet, the Government's "Savage 16" cuts are targeted at many of these groups," Mr Penrose said.