We start with a comprehensive definition of poverty that underlies the HP Deprivation index. The definition was first advanced by Mike Coombes in 1995 as part of a review of existing deprivation indices at that time. So, what’s the starting point for designing an Index?

“The fundamental implication of the term deprivation is of an absence – of essential or desirable attributes, possessions and opportunities which are considered no more than the minimum by that society.” (Coombes et al., DoE – UK, 1995)

“People are living in poverty if their income and resources (material, cultural and social) are so inadequate as to preclude them from having a standard of living which is regarded as acceptable by Irish society generally.” (Government of Ireland, NAPS, 1997)

HP Deprivation Index was developed by social & economic consultants Haase and Pratschke. Trutz Haase (1954-2018) had worked for a number of Irish Government Departments, Local Authorities and non-governmental agencies. He was best known for his work on the development of the Pobal HP Deprivation Index which is used extensively throughout Government Departments and State Agencies. Jonathan Pratschke is a Trinity College Dublin graduate and he has been working at the University of Salerno in Italy since 2001.

Haase and Pratschke's collaboration has resulted in over 50 joint studies to date. Their work on the Pobal HP Deprivation Index and their contributions to social and economic research in Ireland were guided by a deep commitment to using science to build a more equal and democratic society.

The Pobal HP Deprivation Index is a census-based deprivation index. It’s the main index used in Ireland and applied by several government departments, state agencies and other organisations. Its value derives from the way in which deprivation indices can be used to facilitate the development of evidence-based policies, leading to greater efficiency in service delivery.

The purpose of a deprivation index is to assess social conditions using a single indicator. Deprivation indices continue to be used in many countries for this purpose, and these kinds of applications are expanding rapidly.

The 2016 Pobal HP Deprivation Index is the latest in a serious of deprivation indices funded by Pobal, based on the just recently released data from the 2016 Census of Population. Pobal, started at 1992, is an intermediary that works on behalf of the Irish Government to support communities and local agencies toward achieving policy goals in relation to social inclusion, reconciliation and equality. Pobal oversees the distribution of €100m per annum to local communities with the aim of alleviating poverty and promoting social inclusion.

The Index measures ten key indicators based on information contained in the 2016 census. Three dimensions of affluence/disadvantage are identified: Demographic Profile, Social Class Composition and Labour Market Situation. Demographic Profile is measured by six indicators, Social Class Composition is measured by five indicators, and Labour Market Situation is measured by three indicators. Each dimension is calculated in the same way for each census wave and then combined to form an Absolute Index Score and Relative Index Score.

The latest 2016 national index lays bare the entrenched inequality in Irish society, with disadvantage and advantage remaining stubbornly present in particular geographical areas. It provides for an appropriate treatment of both urban and rural deprivation. The Index and Pobal study indicate that Dublin 2 is the most affluent area in Ireland, while St Mary's Park in Limerick city is the most disadvantaged. The degree of affluence and deprivation is given by the relative Pobal HP Deprivation Score, and can be displayed at various geographical levels, ranging from Small Areas, to Electoral Divisions, Local Electoral Areas, and counties.

The index quickly established itself as a reliable tool to identify areas of relative affluence and deprivation. The Index has thus served as a major contributor to the development of a political consensus with regard to where investments need to be targeted at place to address social inequalities and social exclusion.

The extreme inequalities that exist in various key policy arenas such a health, education, housing etc. Unfortunately, there is a long tradition in Ireland to allocate major public spending on a simple per-capita basis. This tradition has resulted in the increasingly unacceptable social inequalities that we now observe.

The results for the Index are contained in a number of documents, Excel datafiles and hard-to-read raw data. Mapping key social indicators in an interactive mapping tool is a great way to explore data. Following the release of the 2016 Pobal HP Deprivation Index, we developed this interactive graphical information map to make the results more accessible and interactive for both professional researchers and the general public.

Now turn information into knowledge!

Trutz Haase

The Central Statistics Office (CSO)

Poverty & Deprivation Reports

All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO)