Levels of acute poverty in parts of Dublin have not changed in recent years despite numerous anti-poverty strategies, a Government report to be published on Monday finds.
The report, Inclusion is Everyone's Business, which is written by the Social Inclusion Unit of Dublin City Council, finds levels of deprivation have worsened somewhat over the 11 years to 2002. The report will be launched by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.
The report questions how effectively progress in the National Anti-Poverty Strategy and social inclusion programmes can be measured, given the "lack of detailed data in relation to poverty and social inclusion".
However, applying deprivation measurements to census figures, the report finds a far greater proportion of Dublin's population scoring highest, "indicating the highest relative deprivation in the country".
Overall, 5.9 per cent less of the population is scoring at the very lowest level, i.e. experiencing relative affluence, than in 1991.
Meanwhile, "the proportion of the population at the highest level of relative deprivation has increased by 2.4 per cent," it says.
While Dublin Fingal, Dublin South and Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown score well in terms of low risk of income poverty, "the Dublin City Council area has twice the income poverty risk of these areas." The most disadvantaged electoral division areas are "largely located in a linear pattern running east to west through the city centre with clusters in Finglas, Cabra, Ballymun and Priorswood".
The persistence of poverty in some areas is "indicative of inter-generational deprivation in certain areas".
"Overall, Dublin city compares favourably with the State in a general socio-economic profile. However, it is evident based on the deprivation scores outlined that Dublin city fares less well when composite socio-economic indicators are taken into account.
"Consequently the conclusion must be that masking of deprivation in highly disadvantaged areas is a significant factor in any socio-economic analysis of a city of Dublin's size."
It adds that "disadvantage among those in the private rented sector remains largely hidden and recent changes in the eligibility criteria for the rent allowance will increase hardship."
