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Social Inclusion
ESRI research in the area of Social Inclusion focuses on access for all to levels of resources regarded as acceptable by Irish society. Current research focuses on:
  • Multi-dimensional measurement of deprivation and poverty.
  • The dynamics of poverty and deprivation.
  • Educational and labour market disadvantage.
  • Social exclusion and the life cycle.
  • Social capital and participation.
As part of the programme for research for the Office for Social Inclusion (OSI), ESRI researchers were involved in preparing a series of Social Portraits, designed to be of use to members of the public as well as policy makers, on:

A further social portrait of people with disabilities in Ireland is due to be published in 2009.

The report The Life Cycle Perspective on Social Inclusion In Ireland: An Analysis of EU SILC  published in October 2008 examined the development of the knowledge economy, the changing nature of the welfare state and the emergence of new social risks to provide a comprehensive analysis of related issues using data from EU-SILC (Statistics on Income and Living Conditions). A report entitled Poverty and Deprivation in Ireland in Comparative Perspective is due to be published in 2009, and research monitoring trends in poverty using SILC 2007 is currently underway for the OSI.

Comparative research on poverty and social inclusion at the European level continues, arising from the OSI programme, from the ESRI’s involvement in the EU EQUALSOC Network of Excellence and through work for the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. A report on poverty and social inclusion in Europe using data from the second European Quality of Life Survey 2007 (EQLS) is being prepared for the European Foundation and is due to be published late 2009/early 2010.

Future research will focus on the following areas:
    • Poverty and social exclusion in an enlarged EU.

    • A comparative perspective on the intergenerational transmission of social exclusion.

    • Research on the working poor (including relationship to self, employment, the minimum wage and household employment status).

    • Children, families and poverty, including longitudinal analyses of the consequences of childhood poverty and disadvantage.

    • Interaction between poverty and equality issues.

    • Impact of recession and deteriorating labour market conditions on poverty trends and distribution.

    • Effect of poverty and social exclusion on mental and physical health.  

    • Impact of the New Economy on the labour market, inequality, poverty and well-being 

Programme Coordinator – Helen Russell
Members of staff working in this area include: Richard Layte, Pete Lunn, Bertrand Maitre, and Dorothy Watson.


  • Link to current projects in this area.
  • Link to recently published research in this area
  • Link to recently published working papers in this area
  • Link to back catalogue of published research