An estimated 14% of Ireland’s population was at risk of poverty in 2008 – a mid ranking performance in EU terms. Risk of poverty is defined as 60% of their income, after welfare transfers being below the poverty threshold. The poverty threshold is set at 60% of the national median income per equivalent adult. Comparison between countries is expressed in Purchasing Power Standards (PPS) – an artificial reference currency that eliminates price level differences between countries.
The highest risk of poverty in 2008 was found in Latvia (26%), Romania (23%), Bulgaria (21%), Greece, Spain and Lithuania (all 20%). The lowest risk of poverty was in Czech Republic (9%), Holland and Slovakia (both 11%), Denmark, Hungary, Austria, Slovenia and Sweden (all 12%).
The following table highlights the percentage of the population who cannot afford particular items of relatively routine expenditure:
| IRELAND | EU 27 average | EU 27 Ranking | |
| To pay for a 1-week annual holiday away from home | 30% | 37% | 17th Poorer: Romania Hungary Malta Portugal Poland Lithuania Bulgaria Slovakia Latvia Greece Cyprus Estonia Italy Czech Rep Spain France |
| To keep their home adequately warm | 15% | 10% | 9th Poorer: Portugal Bulgaria Cyprus Romania Lithuania Poland Latvia Greece |
| Afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish or vegetarian equivalent every second day | 7% | 9% | 13th Poorer: Bulgaria Slovakia Latvia Poland Romania Lithuania Austria Czech Rep Slovenia Germany Hungary Malta Italy France Greece |
| A personal car | 9% | 9% | 11th Poorer: Romania Bulgaria Latvia Slovakia Estonia Poland Lithuania Czech Rep Portugal Greece |
The corresponding data for 2009 is likely to show a marked deterioration in Ireland’s performance.
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