- At-Risk of Poverty; 687,800 people were at risk of poverty, 12.6% of the population.
- Consistent Poverty; 256,600 people were experiencing consistent poverty, 4.7% of the population.
- Enforced Deprivation; 824,200 people were experiencing enforced deprivation; this was 15.1% of the population. Different groups of people experience enforced deprivation at different rates.
- One parent families; 48.7%
-
People living with a Disability; 39.2%
-
Unemployed; 42.1%
- Renters; 31.9%
Source: SVP calculation based on CSO Survey of Income and Living Conditions
Food poverty is when people can't afford or access a nutritious diet and is linked to significant low health outcomes.
In 2024, approximately 484,200 people were in food poverty in Ireland.
Source: SVP calculation based on Safe Food estimate of food poverty at 9%.
In 2025, 409,400 people went without heat at some stage, and 245,600 people were unable to adequately heat their homes.
Source: SVP calculation based on CSO Survey of Income and Living Conditions
- €101.71 weekly for a one-parent family with two children (primary and secondary school age)
- €21.67 for a two-parent family with two children (preschool and primary school age)
- €42.62 for a single adult with no children
- €64.86 for a pensioner living alone in a rural area
By 2025, someone earning the National Minimum Wage in Dublin would need to work nearly 54 hours a week to afford an MESL.
Source: MESL 2025
In 2024, 17.1% of Irelands’ population were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, this is below the EU 27 average of 20%.
Bulgaria had the highest rate at 30.3% and Czechia had the lowest rate at 11.3%.
Source: EUROSTAT
- “I'm worried the car might break down or the children will become ill. I'm praying the fridge won't break. I don't have enough money to plan for these uncertainties. What will I do? I don't like borrowing.”
- “Children should have happy memories and photographs of happy times, my daughter hasn't any. People need happy memories, don't they, especially children?”
- "My eight-year old daughter said ’Mummy I want a birthday party and I had to say ‘you're a big girl now; you don't need a birthday party.’ It was very difficult to see the disappointment on her face. I had to explain that we don't have the money.”
- “I do as much planning and budgeting as I can. I'm happy if the rent, ESB and food bills are paid. I wish I could plan for months ahead…but it's difficult to plan when you're unsure about the basics.”
- “I found a job as a Carer but I had to travel and I had to work days and nights. I couldn't continue working because of the different hours. I started with twenty hours-a-week and this went down to just eight. I couldn't afford childcare and travel. A combination of childcare and travel is a big expense for the odd hours.”
- “I can't get control, we can't make plans, it's like being in a deep hole, no matter what we do we can’t get out of it. We climb up and fall back in.”
- “The children look for money for school trips. We often have to say no to even five euro, we just don't have it, even though we budget carefully. We have to say ‘sorry we can't’…they are very good kids and we hate that they feel different.”
- “My daughter, who is such a good child, asked for €5 for lunch on a school trip. I could not find €5 in the house. All she said was ‘don’t worry, I’ll manage.”
- “I find life very hard, not being able to pay all my bills and always putting some on the long finger. The stress makes me sick. I’m always worrying knowing that my kids have to go without.”
