The border region has the highest poverty rate in the Country.
Latest figures from Poverty Focus 2021 show the border region has a poverty rate of 22.4%.
The CSO poverty data shows an uneven national distribution of poverty.
According to the latest data, poverty levels are recorded as higher than the country as a whole for the Border, Midlands, West and South-East regions.
The Border region and the South-East have the highest poverty rates in the State at 22.4% and 21.78% respectively, followed by the West and the Midlands.
Dr Seán Healy, CEO of Social Justice Ireland says many in rural areas face challenges of higher poverty rates, lower median incomes, higher dependency ratios, longer distances from everyday services, and a higher rate of part-time employment.
While Michelle Murphy, Research and Policy Analyst with Social Justice Ireland believes social and economic supports are required in rural areas and broader skills and economic development strategies are needed to tackle the higher poverty rates.
