Brought together by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the UK's biggest funder of social research, the seminar will examine the distribution of income, benefits and tax in Northern Ireland.
The starting point for the discussion will be a new ESRC report which summarises the latest research findings into poverty in Northern Ireland and what policies might be effective in reducing it.
Professors Paddy Hillyard and Eithne McLaughlin of The Queen's University of Belfast will deliver opening papers at the seminar and draw on their ground-breaking report, Bare necessities - poverty and social exclusion in Northern Ireland, and The bottom line: Severe child poverty in Northern Ireland shortly to be published by Save the Children in Northern Ireland.
Bare Necessities documented the extent of poverty that Northern Ireland families experience. It showed that a higher proportion of families are in poverty in Northern Ireland than in either Britain or the Republic of Ireland; and specifically found 185,000 households containing over 500,000 people were living below the poverty line. Poverty was measured by two yardsticks: low income and deprivation - having to go without things, which the public regard as necessities of life: such as enough money to pay heating, electricity and telephone bills on time and new, not second hand clothes.
The Bottom Line also showed that children and families in Northern Ireland are more deprived than their counterparts in Britain. In the words of Professor Hillyard, who described Northern Ireland as one of the most unequal societies in the developed world, "the challenge for Northern Ireland and local politicians is how to reduce these deep fractures of inequality and create a more just society."
Professor McLaughlin commented that lone parents in Northern Ireland face particular difficulties because of low levels of job opportunities for women generally combined with low pay and lack of early years provisions.
Among the themes to be explored are:
For further information, a copy of the report or to attend the seminar, contact:
Iain Stewart, Lesley Lilley or Becky Gammon at the Economic & Social Research Council on 01793 413032 / 413119 / 413122 or iain.stewart@esrc.ac.uk Lesley.lilley@esrc.ac.uk or becky.gammon@esrc.ac.uk
Or for comment, contact:
Professor Eithne McLauglin on 289-096-4073