Equality Research Series Winners And Losers? The Equality Impact Of The Great Recession in Ireland Great The Equality Impact Of The And Losers? Winners Winners And Losers? The Equality Impact of the Great Recession in Ireland The Equality Authority The Economic and Social Research Institute Frances McGinnity, Helen Russell, Dorothy Watson, Birchgrove House Roscrea Whitaker Square Gillian Kingston & Elish Kelly Co. Tipperary Sir John Rogerson’s Quay Phone: (0505) 24126 Dublin 2 Fax: (0505) 22388 www.esri.ie Jervis House Jervis Street Dublin 1 Phone: (01) 417 3336 Fax: (01) 417 3331 Public Information Centre Lo Call: 1890 245 545 Email: [email protected] www.equality.ie This publication is supported by the European Union's PROGRESS Programme (2007–2013) EA_131_A4_02.indd 1-2 08/05/2014 16:00 This report can be downloaded at: www.equality.ie/research and www.esri.ie WINNERS AND LOSERS? THE EQUALITY IMPACT OF THE GREAT RECESSION Frances McGinnity, Helen Russell, Dorothy Watson, Gillian Kingston and Elish Kelly Frances McGinnity is a Senior Research Officer, Helen Russell is an Associate Research Professor, Dorothy Watson is an Associate Research Professor, Gillian Kingston is a Research Assistant and Elish Kelly is a Research Analyst at the Economic and Social Research Institute. The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Equality Authority, the Economic and Social Research Institute, or the European Commission. © Copyright Equality Authority and Economic and Social Research Institute, 2014 ISBN: 978-1-908275-67-7 Cover design by form Produced in Ireland by Print Services CONTENTS Figures .................................................................................................................................... v Tables ..................................................................................................................................... vi Foreword ............................................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ viii Executive Summary .............................................................................................................. ix 1 THE EQUALITY IMPACT OF THE GREAT RECESSION: INTRODUCTION ..................... 1 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Theoretical Perspectives .................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Labour Market, Migration and Policy Context in Ireland: Boom to Bust ............................ 3 1.4 Previous Evidence ............................................................................................................. 6 1.4.1 Age ............................................................................................................................ 6 1.4.2 Gender, Marital and Family Status ........................................................................... 7 1.4.3 Nationality and Disability ........................................................................................... 8 1.5 Analytic Strategy and Report Outline ................................................................................. 8 2 LABOUR MARKET OUTCOMES ...................................................................................... 11 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Data and Methodology ..................................................................................................... 12 2.3 Sectoral Location Across Equality Grounds .................................................................... 14 2.4 Labour Market Participation ............................................................................................. 17 2.5 Employment ..................................................................................................................... 23 2.5.1 Employment by Gender .......................................................................................... 23 2.5.2 Employment by Age Group ..................................................................................... 24 2.5.3 Employment by Marital and Family Status .............................................................. 26 2.5.4 Employment by Nationality ..................................................................................... 27 2.5.5 Employment by Disability ........................................................................................ 28 2.6 Unemployment ................................................................................................................. 29 2.6.1 Unemployment by Gender ...................................................................................... 29 2.6.2 Unemployment by Age ............................................................................................ 30 2.6.3 Unemployment by Marital and Family Status ......................................................... 32 2.6.4 Unemployment by Nationality ................................................................................. 34 2.6.5 Unemployment by Disability .................................................................................... 35 2.7 Summary .......................................................................................................................... 35 Appendix to Chapter 2 ........................................................................................................... 38 3 POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION ........................................................................................ 46 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 46 3.2 Research Methodology .................................................................................................... 46 3.2.1 Data ........................................................................................................................ 46 3.2.2 Measuring Poverty .................................................................................................. 46 3.2.3 Measuring Deprivation ............................................................................................ 47 3.2.4 Measuring Group Membership and Other Variables .............................................. 47 Winners and Losers iii 3.2.5 Methods of Analysis and Presentation .................................................................... 49 3.3 Income Poverty ................................................................................................................ 49 3.3.1 Income Poverty by Gender and Age Group ............................................................ 50 3.3.2 Income Poverty by Marital/Family Status ................................................................ 51 3.3.3 Income Poverty by Disability Status and Nationality ............................................... 52 3.3.4 Gender Differences in the Pattern by Age and Marital/Family Status ..................... 53 3.4 Basic Deprivation ............................................................................................................. 53 3.4.1 Basic Deprivation by Gender and Age Group ............................................................... 54 3.4.2 Basic Deprivation by Marital/Family Status ............................................................. 55 3.4.3 Deprivation, Disability Status and Nationality ......................................................... 56 3.4.4 Gender Differences in the Deprivation Pattern by Age and Marital/Family Status .............................................................................................. 58 3.5 Summary .......................................................................................................................... 58 Appendix to Chapter 3 ........................................................................................................... 60 4 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................... 64 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 64 4.2 Gender ............................................................................................................................. 65 4.3 Age Group ........................................................................................................................ 66 4.4 Family/Marital Status ....................................................................................................... 67 4.5 Nationality ........................................................................................................................ 68 4.6 Disability ........................................................................................................................... 69 4.7 Summary of Change over Time ....................................................................................... 70 4.8 Policy Implications ........................................................................................................... 72 REFERENCES .....................................................................................................................