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Social Supports

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This chapter outlines the extent of informal social supports in Ireland. Persons aged 15 years and over were asked how many people they can count on in the event of a serious problem, the extent to which they feel that others show concern and interest in what they are doing and how easy or difficult they find it to get practical help from neighbours.

What we see is that close to 80% report being able to count on 3 or more persons in the event of a serious problem, with non-Irish nationals reporting being able to count on fewer people than Irish nationals. People also report high levels for the concern and interest others show in what they are doing. However, Unemployed persons, when compared to those In employment, report lower levels for the concern and interest they think others show in what they are doing, and report a lower number of persons they are able to count on in the event of a serious problem. Interestingly, when compared to Disadvantaged persons, more affluent persons report a wider network of persons to count on in the event of a serious problem, yet more disadvantaged persons report it as being easier to get practical help from a neighbour than those who are more affluent.

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At State level, 77% of persons aged 15 years and over report that they have 3 or more persons they can count on in the event of a serious problem. In terms of nationality, 79% of Irish nationals report that they have 3 or more persons they can count on in the event of a serious problem, compared to 65% of non-Irish persons, with the main difference being that 31% of Irish nationals report they have 6 or more persons they can count on, compared to 23% of non-Irish nationals. See Table 2.1 and Figure 2.1.

Also at State level, 1% of persons aged 15 years and over report they have no one to count on in the event of a serious problem, with 4% of non-Irish persons reporting similarly. See Table 2.1 and Figure 2.1.

Table 2.1 Persons aged 15 years and over by number of persons they are close enough to that they could count on them if they had a serious problem, 2019

NoneOne or twoThree to fiveSix or more
Irish 1204831
Non-Irish4314223

Persons In employment report higher numbers than the Unemployed of persons they can count on in the event of a serious problem, with 78% of persons In employment reporting they can count on 3 or more persons, compared to 69% of Unemployed persons. See Table 2.1 and Figure 2.2.

NoneOne or twoThree to fiveSix or more
In employment1214731
Unemployed2194227

By age, the youngest age group surveyed, the 15-24 years cohort, report the highest number of persons they can count on in the event of a serious problem (81% of this age group report they can count on 3 or more persons). All the other age groups report in and around that three-quarters of them have 3 or more persons they can count on. See Table 2.1.

Persons classed as Very Affluent report that 82% of them have 3 or more persons they can count on in the event of a serious problem, compared to three-quarters of persons who are Very Disadvantaged, with the difference being largely driven by the Very Affluent reporting higher rates of having 6 or more persons they can count on (36% vs 27%). See Table 2.1.

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At State level, 91% of persons aged 15 years and over feel that others show some or a lot of concern and interest in what they are doing, with females (93%) reporting marginally higher levels than males (89%). This high rate of interest is replicated across age groups, regions and levels of affluence with all categories reporting that in and around 90% of the cohort feel that others show some or a lot of concern in what they are doing. See Table 2.2.

The oldest age group surveyed, 75 years and overreport the highest levels of other persons showing a lot of concern in what they are doing (two-thirds of this age group). However, the age groups before this one (aged 55-64 and 65-74 years) report the relatively lowest numbers for those showing a lot of interest in what they are doing at 57% each. See Table 2.2 and Figure 2.3.

Table 2.2 Persons aged 15 years and over by degree of concern and interest others show in what you are doing, 2019

No concern and interestLittle concern and interestUncertainSome concern and interestA lot of concern and interest
15-241243261
25-342243062
35-441353358
45-542543158
55-642353357
65-742443257
75+1342567

Unemployed persons report lower levels of others showing a lot of interest in what they are doing than those In employment - 52% of Unemployed persons compared to 59% of those In employmentSee Table 2.2.

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At State level, three-quarters of persons aged 15 years and over report they find it Easy or very easy to get practical help from neighbours. Older persons report higher levels of finding it easy than younger persons, with over 80% of persons aged 55 years and over reporting it is Easy or very easy to get practical help from neighbours. Persons in the age group 25-34 years reported the relatively lowest levels for finding it Easy or very easy to get practical help from neighbours (65%). See Table 2.3 and Figure 2.4.

Table 2.3 Persons aged 15 years and over by degree of ease of getting practical help from neighbours, 2019

Age group15-2425-3435-4445-5455-6465-7475+
Easy or very easy71657377828084

Persons in the Dublin region report the lowest levels for finding it Easy or very easy to get practical help from neighbours, with two-thirds (66%) of them reporting so. The Midland region report the highest levels (84%), with persons in the Border (83%) and West (80%) also reporting levels far higher than Dublin. See Table 2.3 and Map 2.1.

Non-Irish persons report lower levels than Irish people for finding it Easy or very easy to get practical help from neighbours (59% of non-Irish compared to 77% of Irish nationals), while more affluent persons also report lower levels than more Disadvantaged persons for ease of getting practical help from neighbours. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Very Affluent persons report they find it Easy or very easy to get practical help from neighbours, however nearly 8-in-10 (78%) of Very Disadvantaged persons aged 15 years and over report they find it Easy or very easy to get practical help from neighbours. See Table 2.3 and Figure 2.5.

Deprivation quintileVery disadvantagedDisadvantagedAverageAffluentVery affluent
Easy or very easy7880807365

Go to next chapter:  Carers