Yep that’s right. Per capita, the Republic is now ahead of the US. It also has 15.2 per cent of its people living in poverty: “Only Italy and the US had a higher poverty rate among 18 industrialised countries surveyed. In addition, Ireland had the second highest rate of illiteracy, after Italy, with 22.6 per cent of the population lacking functional literacy skills”. However, the report also notes:
When all factors were taken into account Ireland rose two places to eighth in the Human Development Index, leapfrogging the US, Japan, Belgium and the Netherlands but falling behind Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty