Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

An internationally accepted standard regards the poverty line as equivalent to 60% of average income in a society. Anyone below that level is judged not to have sufficient on which to live with a reasonable degree of dignity. The latest available figures which I agree are dated show that at least one in six people - almost 750,000 people - was living on an income below that level, or approximately €208 a week for an individual. Why are no updated figures available? I suspect that as a result of the recent regressive budgets, that figure has probably increased, but we do not know. When will the figures be available? Why did the Government decide to revise its targets for reducing the rates for those at-risk of poverty and living in consistent poverty?

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