Irish minimum income benefits fall well short of the poverty threshold, study finds
Research by Civio and the European Data Journalism Network shows that Ireland's minimum income payments for single adults are below the national poverty line.
Civio, in partnership with the European Data Journalism Network, calculated that Ireland's minimum income benefits for a single adult amount to €254 weekly, increasing to €264 next year, well below the €377 weekly poverty line. The study places Ireland seventh in the EU for the buying power of welfare payments, behind Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain and Austria. Rogers of Social Justice Ireland notes a persistent view that welfare recipients are lazy, despite jobseekers representing only about 15% of welfare claimants.
The report also compares Ireland's figures with other EU nations, highlighting that only Denmark and Luxembourg provide benefits above the poverty line for families, while single people remain under it. Rogers warns that low welfare levels can shift costs to health, education and justice systems.
Why it matters
The gap between welfare payments and the poverty line affects millions of low-income Irish households and influences broader social costs.
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