A new study has revealed that the border region has the highest poverty rates in Ireland.
Poverty Focus 2021 reveals that the border region has a poverty rate of 22.4%, followed closely by the South-East on 21.8%.
Independent think-tank “Social Justice Ireland” says the CSO poverty data shows that “these regions have consistently had poverty rates far above the national average”, which currently stands at 12.8%.
Social Justice Ireland CEO, Dr Séan Healy, added that the data presents “a worrying trend as rural areas look set to be the slowest to recover economically post-Covid-19”.
He says many in rural areas face higher poverty rates, lower median incomes, higher dependency ratios, longer distances from everyday services, and a higher rate of part-time employment”.
