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4.9% of housholds said that they could not keep their homes adequately warm last year. Shutterstock

Almost a third of Irish households struggling with housing costs as enforced deprivation rate falls

A total of 844,700 people were affected by ‘enforced deprivation’ last year.

ALMOST A THIRD of homes reported housing costs as a “heavy financial burden” last year, according to new figures from the CSO.

Over 29% of households said that they were struggling with the costs of running a home last year – marginally down from the 30.6% of homes that said the same in 2023.

The main areas of financial difficuties included rent, mortgage, insurance, utility bills and repair costs.

The number of those living in “enforced deprivation” also decreased in 2024 to 15.7% of homes.

People are defined as experiencing enforced deprivation if they live in a household that can’t afford two or more of the 11 basic deprivation items that are considered to be “the norm” for other households in society, according to the CSO.

These include being unable to afford two pairs of shoes in good condition, a meal with meat (or a vegetarian alternative) every second day, a warm waterproof coat or to have family or friends for a drink or a meal once a month.

Of the households that were living in enforced deprivation in 2024, the most commonly experienced deprivation items were replacing furniture and days out.
72.5% of those living in enforced deprivation reported being unable to afford to replace any worn out furniture in 2024, and over half (58.2) said that they were unable to afford a morning, afternoon or evening out in last two weeks.

A total of 844,700 people were impacted by enforced deprivation last year, including more than 262,704 children.

Family households with a single parent or guardian were the worst affected, with a 46% deprivation rate last year.

13% of these homes were unable to afford to keep the home adequately warm last year.

Unemployed people also recorded a high deprivation rate (38%).

Social Justice Ireland said that these groups are among those who have been most impacted by the rising cost of living, saying that they “need support”.

“The Government should prioritise these groups by benchmarking core social welfare rates to average earnings, making tax credits refundable and by introducing a Living Wage of €14.75 per hour” John McGeady, CEO, Social Justice Ireland (SJI) said.

Michelle Murphy, Research and Policy Analyst, SJI.

The campaign group said that an “ambitious” national poverty target must be set and achieved by the Government.

“Government must make income adequacy for low-income households a priority and build on recent years of economic growth and windfall revenues to deliver a just society and to put a social floor of adequate income and services in place for everyone,” SJI Research and Policy Analyst Michelle Murphy said.

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    Mute Ciaran O Donoghue
    Favourite Ciaran O Donoghue
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    Mar 11th 2025, 3:57 PM

    Over a billion spent on IPAS, wasted money on bike sheds and walls, plenty of money taken in taxes that could be used to support these families in need too.

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    Mute BigEd
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    Mar 11th 2025, 4:54 PM

    @Ciaran O Donoghue: exactly…all packages helping everybody else but the Irish…. so many comrades being accommodated and looked after so that no money are left for working joe… i have been cuttinv and cuttinv to the point that there is 0 holidays abroad…no take aways…no restaurants
    ..and mind you i am working and so if my wife…. its a joke

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    Mute Micky The Pikey
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    Mar 11th 2025, 6:17 PM

    @BigEd: us Irish get nothing and they take in millions of immigrants queuing up for free houses.

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    Mute helen mary fitzsimons
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    Mar 11th 2025, 6:46 PM

    @Micky The Pikey: do you work,?

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    Mute I Am
    Favourite I Am
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    Mar 11th 2025, 6:53 PM

    @BigEd: same here, and we are both mid level admin workers. I just got shoes for work on 3 installments. Thats how it is.

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    Mute Bren
    Favourite Bren
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    Mar 11th 2025, 7:00 PM

    @Ciaran O Donoghue: they won’t help anybody they will just continue helping people that brought foreign countries who wouldn’t give us one cent if it was the other way around, the government seems to think that this money is theirs to spend but it’s actually our money our taxes it should be invested into Ireland and people in need here, the cost of living to be brought down drastically but of course why would the government do that when they do not give one? Damn about the people here in Ireland?

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    Mute he didnt take the 120k because he already got it split over 3 years
    Favourite he didnt take the 120k because he already got it split over 3 years
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    Mar 11th 2025, 8:35 PM

    @BigEd: packages to help everyone else but the irish? What about the near 2 BILLION spent on jobseekers for the irish who dont work? Or the half a billion spent on hap? Or the half a billion spent on energy credits last year? And all the other billions spent on irish people every year, keep lickin windows lad

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    Mute Francisco O brien
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    Mar 11th 2025, 8:57 PM

    @Ciaran O Donoghue: election

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    Mute James MC
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    Mar 11th 2025, 3:59 PM

    Can we get the cheap Russian fossil fuels back please?

    74
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    Mute Mary Linton
    Favourite Mary Linton
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    Mar 11th 2025, 4:08 PM

    @Chutes Idiot: those two energy ‘credits’ tossed to the electorate in advance of last Novembers budget just made last two bills a bit more manageable/ palatable

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    Mute eric
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    Mar 11th 2025, 4:10 PM

    @Chutes Idiot: and mehole has already said ” no more energy credits in budget 2026″ !! it will be a cold dark winter for many !!

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    Mute Lei tatt
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    Mar 11th 2025, 4:42 PM

    @James MC: yes , after war criminal putin withdraw his orcish horde out of Ukraine and is defeated and sent back to his box.

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    Mute Ross McAndrew
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    Mar 11th 2025, 4:22 PM

    Very sorry, but Palestinians and Ukranians come first, thank you

    72
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    Mute Alan Moloney
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    Mar 11th 2025, 6:50 PM

    @Ross McAndrew: why should day can’t look after our own get out own house in order forget about the rest

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    Mute Paddy C
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    Mar 11th 2025, 7:44 PM

    @Ross McAndrew: thank you ff fg sinn fein and cabbage head roderic especially for welcoming the world into a housing CRISIS.

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    Mute SOCOMJON
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    Mar 12th 2025, 6:30 AM

    @Ross McAndrew: Don’t worry, they’ll return all the money after the wars have ended, probably

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    Mute Nemethon
    Favourite Nemethon
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    Mar 11th 2025, 4:49 PM

    As a volunteer with a national charity, we witness firsthand the growing struggles people face each week. Many are struggling to afford the basics—putting food on the table, young mothers unable to buy formula due to soaring costs, or families burdened by exorbitant electricity bills and the challenge of heating their homes. While, as in all aspects of society, there are occasional cases of deception, we are well aware of those. However, the vast majority are genuine, and sadly, the situation is only set to worsen.

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    Mute Shimo F
    Favourite Shimo F
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    Mar 11th 2025, 4:27 PM

    Screwing over the Irish citizens will be the legacy of this sham of a government. Mehole and crew should hang their heads in shame at this figure 260,000 living in poverty. Absolutely shameful

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    Mute Brian Hunt
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    Mar 11th 2025, 5:10 PM

    The government and their friends are doing very nicely, thank you very much!

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    Mute Ailbhe MacThomais
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    Mar 11th 2025, 5:13 PM

    Only the migrants scamigrants and ngo brigade counting every Irish person doesn’t count.

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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Mar 11th 2025, 4:10 PM

    More medium to low skilled jobs would enable almost all unskilled people get out of financial deprivation and associated struggles. Returning manufacturing jobs presently done by slave labour oversees need to come back here and get Irish minimum wage.

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    Mute Billy Boy
    Favourite Billy Boy
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    Mar 12th 2025, 7:50 AM

    The Govt has stated that Ireland is a rich prosperous nation and we are morally obliged to share our wealth with others and to send and spend billions helping non Irish. Therein lies the answer as to why native Irish are suffering so badly.

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    Mute Jak Oshe
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    Mar 12th 2025, 9:24 AM

    We voted them back in again, more fool us!!

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    Mute Emit Relevart
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    Mar 13th 2025, 10:08 PM

    @Jak Oshe: I didn’t. I basically voted everyone except ffg.

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    Mute John Farrant
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    Mar 12th 2025, 10:11 AM

    Can’t use our own natural resources so we import it. Far right blamed for all the problems, whilst the looney left makes all the mistakes.

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    Mute James Doyle
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    Mar 12th 2025, 11:12 AM

    It is the sheeples own fault Re-elected the Traitors, welcomed the refugees and asylum seekers in. When street protests are called to close our borders to mass illegal immigration only the same people turnout. On the streets is where battles are won.

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