Poverty in Ireland
An EU survey on income and living conditions released yesterday stated that one in five people in Ireland are in danger of falling into income poverty. As usual single-parents, the elderly, people living alone and the disabled are mentioned as people most at risk.
People earning less than 185 euros per week are defined as being at risk of poverty. While this may seem about right the average monthly wage in Poland is only the equivalent of 250 euro per month. Obviously to a large extent whether you are poor or not will depend on the price of goods and services where you are living and in this reguard Irish retailers, wholesalers and the government are placing a huge burden on peop[le with the extortianite cost of almost everything from food to accomodation etc. Only health care and education compare favourably with other countries at a similar stage of econopmic development.
More tellingly the Central Statistrics Office claim that 7 percent of the population are consistently poor. Consistently poor is defined as being unable to afford a meal at least once in the last fortnight, having to go without heating in the past year, being unable to afford two strong pairs of shoes and a warm water proof coat. This standard would probably have registered most of the population as living in poverty in years gone by. Our overall standard of living has risen exponentially.
Yet large sections of the population continue to live on the margins. Judging by the figures it would seem this "poverty" is driven by not only the rising cost of goods and services but by the snobbishness that has come with the celtic tiger. People seem to believe they have no choice but to fall into debt in their quest to keep up with the Jones' and get the newest model of everything from car to phone to mp3 player. The misleading economic growth in this country coupled with rapid increases in crime rates and a body of people who seem to be obsessed with material gain are classic symptoms of the post industrial society.
The pull of economics is leading to the homogenisation of developed countries all over the world including here. We must resist this urge and maintain a culture that is uniquely ours starting with a more understanding approach to the disadvantaged members of our society. Irish people give more money per head to international charities than anyone else if we could be as giving towards our own we'd be well on our way to eliminating the scourge of poverty.
People earning less than 185 euros per week are defined as being at risk of poverty. While this may seem about right the average monthly wage in Poland is only the equivalent of 250 euro per month. Obviously to a large extent whether you are poor or not will depend on the price of goods and services where you are living and in this reguard Irish retailers, wholesalers and the government are placing a huge burden on peop[le with the extortianite cost of almost everything from food to accomodation etc. Only health care and education compare favourably with other countries at a similar stage of econopmic development.
More tellingly the Central Statistrics Office claim that 7 percent of the population are consistently poor. Consistently poor is defined as being unable to afford a meal at least once in the last fortnight, having to go without heating in the past year, being unable to afford two strong pairs of shoes and a warm water proof coat. This standard would probably have registered most of the population as living in poverty in years gone by. Our overall standard of living has risen exponentially.
Yet large sections of the population continue to live on the margins. Judging by the figures it would seem this "poverty" is driven by not only the rising cost of goods and services but by the snobbishness that has come with the celtic tiger. People seem to believe they have no choice but to fall into debt in their quest to keep up with the Jones' and get the newest model of everything from car to phone to mp3 player. The misleading economic growth in this country coupled with rapid increases in crime rates and a body of people who seem to be obsessed with material gain are classic symptoms of the post industrial society.
The pull of economics is leading to the homogenisation of developed countries all over the world including here. We must resist this urge and maintain a culture that is uniquely ours starting with a more understanding approach to the disadvantaged members of our society. Irish people give more money per head to international charities than anyone else if we could be as giving towards our own we'd be well on our way to eliminating the scourge of poverty.
posted by wesley maj at 4:10 AM
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