Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday I attended the launch of TASC's report, Cherishing All Equally 2016: Economic Inequality in Ireland, a copy of which I have in my hand. I recommend that everybody take the time to read it. It is incredibly well put together. It contains startling figures. For those who do not know, TASC stands for Think-tank for Action on Social Change. It is an independent progressive think-tank whose core focus is economic equality and democratic accountability. Mr. Fergus Finlay was in attendance to assist with yesterday's launch.

The 2016 report reveals a deep inequality at the heart of this economic recovery that threatens its sustainability. It demonstrates not only that there is a deep divide in Irish society in terms of wealth and income, but also that this divide is getting worse. The report states that the top 10% of wealth earners now own 54% of Ireland's wealth while the bottom 50% hold less than 5% of the wealth. Therefore, half of the population in the State has less than 5% of the wealth. That is the Republic that has been delivered to us.

There are shocking figures on gender inequality. For example 29% of female workers are low paid as opposed to 19% of men. The gender pay gap between women with no children and women with at least one child is 31% - the highest in the EU. The proportion of children living in consistent poverty rose from 6.8% in 2008 to 11.7% in 2013. That equates to 138,000 children, one in eight, living in consistent poverty. One in ten people aged over 65 is at risk of poverty. In 2014 lone parent households had a deprivation rate of 58.7% and a consistent poverty rate of 22%.

The overall message here is that for all the spin of the Government and the media, inequality is growing, not decreasing. Child poverty has nearly doubled. In-work poverty is on the increase, as is deprivation. At the same time the wealth share of the top 10% rose by 10% in a year.

These figures are as a direct result of the unbroken conservative rule in this State. It does not matter whether it was Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael conservative rule; the results have been the same. I ask the Deputy Leader to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House in September for a debate on inequality. We need to talk about inequality in the State.