Articles

Real Solutions Needed for Those in Long Term Mortgage Arrears

Mortgage arrears equity scheme

According to the latest Central Bank figures for Q1 2023, there are 22,015 mortgages in arrears for more than one year. Of these, 4,828 have been in arrears for more than 10 years. These mortgage…

Rent Tax Credit - Poorest Kept Furthest Behind

Unaffordable Rent

One of the new cost of living measures included in Government’s Budget 2023 was a Rent Tax Credit - available to tenants in the private rental sector in the form of an income tax refund. The…

2023 Ireland Country Report and Country Specific Recommendations published

Europe Ireland Flags

As part of the Spring Package, the European Commission has published a country report for Ireland and four country specific recommendations for 2023 and 2024.  The country report examines…

Supporting Labour Force Participation

labour force

Increasing labour force participation, in particular among women, represents a further policy challenge for labour market policy. As Table 1 illustrates, the proportion of individuals who are…

The Need for a New Social Contract

Speaker profiles SPC 2024

As we meet yet another global challenge, it is important to acknowledge that despite well documented problems and challenges, Ireland is in the privileged position of having public services and…

Budget 2024 should be split into two parts with once-off windfall gains accounted for separately

Tax Budget

Budget 2024 should be split in two parts.  Once-off windfall tax gains should be invested only in one off infrastructure projects and accounted for separately.  The normal budget should…

Supports needed for people living in single parent households

Child benefit cartoon

A new Report, 'In Transit', from One Family, conducted in conjunction with researchers from University College Cork and Trinity College Dublin examines the lived experiences of families in…

We Need Strategic Investment in Wellbeing

Regional Balance

The current cost of living crisis highlights the deep disparities in our society. In fact, a recent report from Oxfam found that the two richest people in Ireland have more wealth than 50 per cent…

Achievement gap remains between DEIS and non-DEIS schools

ERC reports

Attainment gaps between DEIS and non-DEIS schools at primary level remain, despite the positive headline results in the most recent studies conducted by the Educational Research Centre examining…

Social Enterprise on the Island of Ireland

NESC - Council Report No.161 – Social Enterprise on the Island of Ireland

A new Report from the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), Social Enterprise on the island of Ireland (Council Report No. 161) "describes the contribution of social…