Social Justice Ireland is an independent social justice think tank.
We provide independent social analysis and evidence-based policy proposals, with the aim of creating a sustainable future for every member of society and for society as a whole. In all of this, we focus on human rights and the common good.
Socioeconomy
Income Distribution
Taxation
Work
Housing
Healthcare
Education
Public Services
People and Participation
Sustainability
Rural Development
Global South
BudgetPoverty: a European perspective
Comparing poverty levels in Ireland with those across Europe provides useful context. Eurostat publishes comparable “at risk of poverty” statistics for all EU member states, measuring the proportion of people living below the poverty threshold. These figures are based on a poverty line set at 60 per cent of each country’s median income and use standardised EU definitions of income and equivalence scales to ensure comparability. The most recent data available for all member states relates to 2024.
As shown in Table 1, Ireland’s risk of poverty is lower than the EU average. Ireland first recorded a below-average poverty rate in 2008, largely due to sustained increases in welfare payments in the years leading up to that…
From Digital Foundations to Public Impact: Key Insights from the OECD Digital Government Outlook 2026
Social Justice Matters Podcast - Wealth Taxes with Dr Tom McDonnell, NERI
Future proofing our public finances and public services
Loneliness Awareness Week 2026: Why Connection Matters More Than Ever in Ireland
National Social Monitor : Policies for the Next Generation - Taxation
This section of our National Social Monitor: The Future Starts Now: Policies for the Next Generation looks briefly at taxation and young people.
Increasing the Overall Tax Take
The provision of public services, including healthcare, education and social protection,…
Thought for the day
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man”
Carers Week 2026
Social Justice Matters Podcast - Launch presentation of Social Justice Matters: a 2026 guide to a fairer Irish Society
Ireland's New Social Inclusion Roadmap
The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2026–2030 has been launched, setting out an ambitious five-year strategy to reduce poverty, tackle inequality, and improve participation across Irish society. The plan positions social inclusion as a central pillar of Ireland’s economic and social future. At its core, the roadmap is…
National Social Monitor : Policies for the Next Generation - Rural Development
This section of our National Social Monitor: The Future Starts Now: Policies for the Next Generation looks briefly at rural issues for young people.
Transport
Rural areas in Ireland face the challenge of an absence of an accessible, reliable, and integrated public…
Wellbeing in Ireland 2025
Social Justice Matters Podcast - Alternatives to Violence Project Ireland with Lisa Oelschlegel and Robert Cullen
The Urban-Rural Divide: What CSO Data Reveals About Life in Ireland
Vacant Houses at a time of Urgent Housing Need
