The number of Irish people at risk of poverty is one of the highest in the EU, with nearly one in five of the population at risk, a major new survey reveals.
The EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2005, published by the Central Statistics Office, shows that 19.7 per cent of the population here last year was at risk of poverty, compared with 20.9 per cent in 2004. Only Portugal and the Slovak Republic matched the latter rate, the survey found.
In 2005, however, there was a substantial drop in the number of older people (65 and over) at risk of poverty. Just over 20 per cent of older people were at risk in 2005, a drop from 27 per cent the previous year.
Over a third of those living in consistent poverty in Ireland are children. Although children under 16 account for just 22.5 per cent of the population, they represent almost 27 per cent of those at risk of poverty and some 34.3 per cent of those in consistent poverty.
Over half of those at risk of poverty and almost two-thirds of those in consistent poverty are living in households with children, the survey shows.
Last year, one in ten people reported debt problems arising from ordinary living expenses. The CSO said this has been "consistently the most common type of deprivation reported since 2003" and is particularly prevalent among households with children.
Some 40 per cent of those in lone parent households last year reported debt problems.
If no account was taken of social welfare payments such as pensions, child benefit or unemployment benefit, the numbers at risk of poverty would have been closer to 40 per cent in 2004 and last year, the CSO said. "Social transfers" therefore reduce the poverty rate by more than half, according to the survey.
While women were found to have a higher risk of poverty than men in 2004, there was little or no difference last year.
The percentage of the population living in households that experienced some type of "enforced deprivation" increased from 18.3 per cent in 2004 to 19.2 per cent last year. Lone-parent households suffered the highest deprivation levels, with almost 60 per cent reporting deprivation in at least one of eight key areas.
Smokers are at higher risk of poverty, with an income of almost €3,000 less than non-smokers. Almost one in four of the population aged 16 or over smoked in 2005.
The measurement of those "at risk" of poverty is the number of people whose income falls below a given percentage, usually 60 per cent, of the national median income.
The consistent poverty measure looks at those identified as being at risk of poverty and also assesses the extent to which they may be excluded from activities considered the norm for other people in society.
The eight "deprivation" indicators include the lack of a substantial meal for at least one day in the past two weeks due to a lack of money, an inability to afford two pairs of strong shoes and an inability to afford a warm waterproof coat.