Ireland's UN SDGs 2019 - Report on Indicators for Goal 1 No Poverty

The 17 UN SDGs are a set of global development targets adopted by the United Nations (UN) member countries in September 2015 to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.  The UN SDGs are driving the global development agenda towards Agenda 2030.

The Sustainable Development Goals National Implementation Plan 2018-2020 is in direct response to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and provides a whole-of-government approach to implement the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

This Publication for 'Goal 1 No Poverty' has 14 SDG indicators which are divided into four main chapters: Poverty, Housing, Environment and Financial Support.

Poverty

SDG 1.1.1 Proportion of the Population Below the International Poverty Line is measured by the proportion of the population living in consistent poverty according to the CSO Survey of Income and Living Conditions (SILC).  A change to the NUTS3 regional classifications is outlined below.

SDG 1.2.1 Proportion of the Population Living Below the National Poverty Line is measured by the proportion of the population living at risk of poverty according to the CSO Survey of Income and Living Conditions (SILC).   A change to the NUTS3 regional classifications is outlined below.

SDG 1.2.2 Proportion of Population Living in Poverty in all its Dimensions is measured by the proportion of the population living in deprivation according to the CSO Survey of Income and Living Conditions (SILC).   A change to the NUTS3 regional classifications is outlined below.

NUTS3 Regions

The regional classifications in this release are based on the NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Units) classification used by Eurostat. The NUTS boundaries were amended on 21^st November 2016 under Regulation (EC) No.2066/2016 and took effect from 1^st January 2018. As a result, new NUTS (regional classification) groupings have been introduced for Ireland. As the CSO weights results in the SILC using NUTS3 groups, survey estimates have been revised for SILC years 2012-2016 to take account of these changes. This reweighted data from 2012 to 2016 inclusive is published with the SILC 2017 and 2018 results and users should note that there is a break in the regional data series from 2012 as the results for the period 2004 to 2011 are published using the old NUTS groupings.

For further information see Background Notes on EU-SILC and Information Note for Data Users: Revision to the Irish NUTS2 and NUTS3 Regions.

SDG 1.3.1 Proportion of Population Covered by Social Protection Systems is published by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) in the DEASP Annual Report 2018.  Open data is also available in the DEASP Annual Statistical Report.

Housing

SDG 1.4.1 Proportion of Population Living in Households with no Access to Basic Services is derived from CSO Census of Population 2016.  

SDG 1.4.2 Proportion of Total Adult Population with Secure Tenure Rights to Land is also measured by the CSO Census of Population 2016.  In this context secure tenure rights to land is defined as owner-occupiers in the Census 2016 data.  A link to this Census 2016 information is in 2016 Census Results Housing in Ireland. 

SDG 1.4.2 Number of Homeless Persons in December 2019 was measured by the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government (DHPLG) in the Homeless Report - December 2019 using their regional classifcations.

Environment

SDG 1.5.1 Number of Deaths due to the Impact of Extreme Weather and Climate Related Events, currently has no available national source.

This data is regarded as Tier 2 in the UNSDG Indicators Classification (*see note below).

SDG 1.5.2 Direct Economic Loss Attributed to Disasters, currently has no available national source.

This data is regarded as Tier 2 in the UNSDG Indicators Classification (*see note below).

SDG 1.5.3 Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 is governed by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).

SDG 1.5.4 Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies is outlined in a press release from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE).

Financial Support

SDG 1.a.1 Amount of Domestically Generated Resources Allocated by the Government Directly to Poverty Reduction Programmes.

Two schemes funded by Department of Rural and Community Development geared towards poverty reduction and reducing disadvantage include:

• Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) that aims to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local level, and
• Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) that enhances facilities in disadvantaged areas.

The CEP was launched for the first time in 2018, with initial funding of €4.5 million that was subsequently increased to €13 million.  It replaced and built on the recast Revitalising Areas by Planning Investment & Development programme (RAPID) and the Communities Facilities Scheme that operated in 2017.

SDG 1.a.2 Proportion of Total Government Spending on Essential Services (Education, Health and Social Protection) is published by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform and the Budget 2020 Expenditure Report. 

SDG 1.a.3 Sum of Total Grants and Non-Debt-Creating Inflows Directly Allocated to Poverty Reduction Programmes as a Proportion of GNP is reported in the Irish Aid Annual Report 2018.

SDG 1.b.1 Proportion of Government Recurrent and Capital Spending to Sectors that Disproportionately Benefit Women, the Poor and Vulnerable Group is published in the Women, Peace and Security Report.

Information regarding this indicator was supplied by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD (DAC) as a proxy Indicator.  The OECD DAC reported that 80% of Ireland’s ODA is gender sensitive, and 13% has gender as the principle objective.  Both figures are among the highest in the OECD.

As noted above, given the breadth of programmes that impact on these issues, it is not possible to calculate the precise amount of government expenditure accounted for by these matters. However, on foot of a Programme for Government commitment to developing a process of budget and policy proofing as a means of advancing equality, reducing poverty and strengthening economic and social rights, REV 2018 saw the roll-out of a pilot programme of equality budgeting. The initial focus is on gender, with the intention to extend the initiative to other equality grounds as the approach is refined over time. A select number of Departments provided gender-related performance targets in REV 2018 and progress on these targets is reported on in the Public Service Performance Report.

This publication is based on Tier 1 data except in the Environment section where there are Tier 2 data indicators.

* Tier Classification for Global SDG Indicators

All indicators data are classified by the IAEG-SDGs into three tiers based on their level of methodological development and the availability of data at the global level.

Tier Classification Criteria/Definitions:
Tier 1: Indicator is conceptually clear, has an internationally established methodology and standards are available, and data are regularly produced by countries for at least 50 per cent of countries and of the population in every region where the indicator is relevant.
Tier 2: Indicator is conceptually clear, has an internationally established methodology and standards are available, but data are not regularly produced by countries.
Tier 3: No internationally established methodology or standards are yet available for the indicator, but methodology/standards are being (or will be) developed or tested.