“The concentration of job losses in low paid sectors means that the impact (of COVID-19) has disproportionately fallen on groups that are least able to endure a financial hit,” said Kieran Stafford, national president, SVP.

Emerging issues with the economy now at almost ‘full employment’ are in-work poverty and the difficulty for people in rural areas in accessing employment.

According to SJI research, 104,000 people in employment live below the poverty line

SJI warns that 18 percent of adults living in poverty in Ireland are employed - the “working poor”.

Sr Rita Lee has urged the British government not to “cut the benefits of the less well off” stating “I’m not a politician, but I know that more needs to be done".

230,000 children are at risk of poverty – up 12,000 in a single year warns Social Justice Ireland.