Severe material deprivation affected 6.3 per cent of persons living in private
households in 2011, the NSO said today.

Material deprivation was calculated on the basis of respondents' replies to four of nine yardsticks - ability to face unexpected financial expenses; ability to pay for one week's annual holiday away from home; arrears on mortgage or rent, utility bills, hire-purchase agreements or other loan repayments; ability to have a meal with meat, chicken, fish or vegetarian equivalent every second day; ability to keep home warm in winter; own a washing machine; own a colour TV; own a telephone - including mobile phone; and own a car.

Reporting on a survey on income and living conditions, the NSO said that at 46 per cent, the most common dwelling type consisted of apartment blocks with less than
10 dwellings. The largest share of households, at 29 per cent, lived in dwellings
with five rooms.

More than three-quarters of households were owners of their main dwelling. Of these, 22 per cent had an outstanding loan on their main dwelling.

Seventeen per cent of households lived in rented dwellings, spending an average €54 per month on rent. This average stood at €82 among households with dependent children, and at €46 for households without dependent children.

Households spent a monthly average of €164 on housing costs which included interest payments on mortgage, electricity, gas, house insurance, maintenance and rent.

Just over half the responding households considered these costs to be a heavy financial burden.

The most common concern with the main dwelling, as reported by 41 per cent of
households, was related to the incidence of pollution, grime or other environmental issues. This was followed by noise from neighbours or from the street, experienced by 31 per cent of households.

Amenities like telephones, televisions and washing machines were available in over
96 per cent of all households. A car was available in 83 per cent of households, and a computer in 73 per cent.

The number of households not affording to pay for a one-week annual holiday away from home exceeded the percentage of those affording to do so by almost 3 percentage points.

36 per cent of households said they were having difficulties to make ends meet.
On the other hand, 8 per cent of households found it easy or very easy.

While the at-risk-of-poverty rate in monetary terms stood at 15.4 per cent, the percentage of persons who were severely materially deprived was 6.3 per cent.

Severe material deprivation was observed to be highest among persons living in single parent households (23 per cent) and among the unemployed.