Introduction The context for this year's Budget differs sharply from most of those in the past decade and a half. The global economy has been buffeted by crises in financial markets. Oil prices, even after recent falls, are at very high levels. Furthermore, the sharp decline in housing activity...

Nolan and Callan examine why relative income poverty rates in Ireland have remained high compared with many other EU countries. They begin by presenting the basic facts of the situation and look at a variety of possible explanations for the observed patterns. They conclude that differences in...