New ESRI report, commissioned by Pobal, on social inclusion highlights worsening health inequalities despite improvements in economic measures

May 27, 2025

Labour Markets and Skills
Health and Quality of Life
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A new ESRI study, commissioned by Pobal, examines socioeconomic conditions across communities in Ireland. Using Census data, the study examines how potential barriers to social inclusion have changed over time and if disadvantaged communities are particularly adversely affected. Findings from the new research report, published today, were collated using the Pobal HP Deprivation Index and two waves of Census data (2016 and 2022).

The report highlights both progress and challenges in Ireland’s efforts to promote social inclusion, showing a mixed picture of improving economic conditions alongside worsening health inequalities. 

Key findings:

  • Between 2016 and 2022, some of the potential barriers examined have decreased, while others became more prevalent in certain communities.
  • Rates of unemployment and low educational attainment have declined, with the most significant falls occurring in more deprived areas, narrowing the disadvantage gap between affluent and deprived areas.
  • In contrast, the study found a rise in poor health, with increases most pronounced in the most deprived areas, which has exacerbated pre-existing health inequalities. Such trends, likely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, reflect worsening health outcomes for people living in disadvantaged communities.
  • Some factors are more common in urban or rural areas, further reinforcing the value of examining these barriers spatially. Decline in unemployment was found to be most pronounced in ‘independent urban towns’ i.e. towns which tend to be further from cities and more likely to lack economic opportunities.
  • The prevalence of ethnic minority populations at the area-level increased across most area types, with largest increases in the more urban areas. It is important to note that there is significant diversity within Ireland’s ethnic minority population, and only some will require integration supports.

Barriers to social inclusion are multifaceted and can overlap, according to Pobal, a social inclusion agency working on behalf of Government. The ESRI examined at an area-level a range of factors that can act as potential barriers to social inclusion, including unemployment, economic inactivity, low educational attainment, lone parenthood, being a carer, ethnic minority status, having a disability, and poor health. While the presence of these characteristics do not always limit individuals’ participation in society, they can be associated with a greater risk of social exclusion or marginalisation, particularly when co-occurring.

Author of the report, Dr Anne Devlin, ESRI, commented:

“The findings of this report highlight differences in how potential barriers to social inclusion have changed between 2016 and 2022 and how they manifest spatially across Ireland. Our findings around a reduced prevalence of economic barriers, such as unemployment, are welcome. However, questions remain about the quality of the employment. Despite these economic improvements, their resilience in the face of current and future challenges is uncertain.”

Anna Shakespeare, CEO of Pobal, who commissioned this research, said:

“Understanding the prevalence and patterns of potential barriers to social inclusion is crucial for enabling evidence-based policymaking. The publication of this research is particularly timely in the context of the update to Ireland’s national public health strategy, ‘Healthy Ireland’, as well as the re-development of the cross-Government Roadmap to Social Inclusion. As an agency working to promote social inclusion and community development, we are committed to bringing forward robust and reliable research which can support Government policy development at this critical juncture.”

The findings reinforce the need for place-based policymaking in Ireland, especially when considering social inclusion and inequality. While higher rates of school completion and lower unemployment rates are positive, there may still be important differences in the opportunities available to people from different communities, particularly in relation to employment security and job quality, and this merits further consideration in policy and programmatic design.  

The findings also reinforce the need to reflect on the health of the nation, and whether this has changed post-pandemic. From the data, there is clear evidence of a widening health gap between the most and least disadvantaged communities. This raises important considerations for healthcare resourcing and allocation across the country in the coming years.