Almost half of all members of single-parent households are at risk of falling into poverty, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) published today.
The figures for the year ending 2004 show the percentage of the population in danger of falling into poverty remains stubbornly high, despite ever-increasing income levels.
However, the trend in consistent poverty is downward at 7 per cent of the population, compared to 9 per cent the previous year.
Although the average household income increased 8.9 per cent to €49,000 per year and average disposable incomes increased by 7.5 per cent, those at risk of poverty fell by just 0.3 per cent to 19.4 per cent.
Those most at-risk are members of single-parent households, 48 per cent of whom are regarded as being in danger of falling below 60 per cent of the national average income. Some 36 per cent of people living alone are the second most at-risk category.
Members of single-parent households also constituted the largest segment of those living in consistent poverty at 31.1 per cent. Higher-than-average rates were also found among the rental sector (20.7 per cent), the ill or disabled (21.7 per cent) and the unemployed (19.2 per cent).
The CSO figures also show that social transfers, such as pensions and social welfare payments, halve the risk of poverty.
The elderly are most reliant on welfare provisions and are more at risk from poverty than any other age group. The CSO says that when social transfers were excluded from income, over 87 per cent of over-65s were at risk of poverty.
The poverty risk for women increased to 21 per cent while falling slightly for men, to 18 per cent.
The Green Party's Dan Boyle said the Minister for Social and Family Affairs should pay particular attention to the figures when reviewing lone parents policy next year.
"Government policies must match increased social welfare payments with improved opportunities for those living in disadvantaged areas, otherwise the yawning gap between wealth and poverty will continue to grow," Mr Boyle said.
Sinn Féin's Seán Crowe said the opportunity to tackle structural inequality was missed in last week's Budget.
"Given that the poverty threshold we are talking about here is as low as €9,680 a year it is astonishing that 20 per cent of the population are now on or around that threshold. When we look at the average household income of €49,000, what emerges is a massive and ever growing gap between the haves and have nots in Irish society," Mr Corwe said.