|
There are two central themes in the Social Inclusion and Quality of Life (SIQoL) area. Social inclusion refers to the capacity of individuals and households to participate in economic and social life. It is particularly concerned with barriers to participation arising from a lack of material resources. Quality of life is concerned with the balance between material well-being, physical and mental health, family life, labour market participation and social participation.
During 2011, research projects in the social inclusion area funded by the Social Inclusion Division of the Department of Social Protection examined the impact of debt and financial exclusion on people’s ability to participate in society; the extent to which poverty persists over time; the social and economic situation of people with disabilities; a review of the adequacy of national poverty measures since the start of the recession; and the extent to which children are exposed to deprivation. Among the findings in this area were the following:
-
20 per cent of Irish households did not have a bank current account in 2008 - almost three times higher than the average for the EU15. Some 5.4 per cent of Irish households were considered over-indebted in 2008, rising to 12 per cent of those in the bottom income decile.
-
Almost 10 per cent of the Irish population was persistently income poor during the four-year period 2005 to 2008 – a high level by EU standards.
-
Just over one third of adults with a disability of working age are in employment. Of those not in employment, over one third would like to work if the circumstances were right. The structure of jobs (such as flexible working times and modified job tasks) are particularly important in enabling people with a disability to take up employment.
Research on quality of life, funded by the Irish Sports Council, examined participation in sport. Sports participation is important from the perspective of physical health and mental well-being and is also a significant aspect of social participation. Other projects in this area examined the perceived quality of public services in Ireland and the influence of family on the sense of control of young adults. The findings included:
-
The proportion of adults who actively participated in sport rose significantly between 2008 and 2009, from 30.8% to 33.5%. The proportion of adults who walked regularly also went up, from 57.5% to 60.5%.
-
Those who are economically vulnerable, and thus rely most on public services, rate the quality of those services below the rest of Irish society.
-
The sense of control of young adults is strongly influenced by that of their parents, but the pathways of influence are different for sons and daughters.
Future research will focus on the following areas:
- Poverty and work: in-work poverty and jobless households.
- Fuel poverty in Ireland in a European context – lessons from EU-SILC
- Household financial regime and the intra-household distribution of resources.
- Subjective quality of life in recession in the enlarged EU
- The extent and impact of social participation and volunteering.
- The quality of family and partnership relationships and their impact on the provision of care for children and older people.
- The next generation and the smart economy: children’s use of information technology
Programme Coordinators: Dorothy Watson and Helen Russell.
Other researchers who work in this area include: Richard Layte, Pete Lunn, Bertrand Maître, Fran McGinnity.
|
