Mapping poverty is a longstanding concern, both for researchers and policy makers. This study updates and extends previous research on the spatial distribution of poverty using recent national data sources: the Census of Population (2002), the Living in Ireland Survey (2000) and, for the first time, the National Survey of Housing Quality (2001). The research uses three poverty indicators (household income, material deprivation and socio-demographic variables) to measure the distribution of poverty at various spatial and administrative levels, including county and city councils for the first time.
The study addresses three key aspects of the spatial distribution of poverty:
- It identifies patterns with regard to the concentration of poverty and how these have evolved over time.
- It assesses if these patterns are significant in terms of the overall incidence of poverty.
- It considers the processes underlying poverty clustering, distinguishing between factors that influence the location and the causes of poverty.
The findings of this study increase our understanding of the location of poverty and highlight numerous implications for policy on combating poverty and social exclusions, including area programmes, social housing and local anti-poverty strategies. The study will be of relevance to anti-poverty organisations, regional and local government and teachers/students of social policy and geography.