Annual Inequality Report Launch
Researchers at TASC have now been studying inequality for a quarter of a century. Throughout that period, economic inequality and democratic accountability have remained at the centre of the organisation’s work. TASC has sought not only to document inequality in Ireland, but also to understand the institutions and economic structures that produce it and to develop policies capable of creating a more equal society. TASC’s annual inequality reports have extended beyond a general analysis of economic inequality to examine particular dimensions of inequality. At the same time, these reports have continued to provide a general analysis and regular update on inequality in Ireland.
The report launch on the 10th of September began with a presentation by author, and TASC Senior Economist Oisin Gilmore. He began with data which demonstrated the uneven distribution of income in Ireland, with the top 10% taking home 37% of disposable income, and the bottom 20% taking home 9.7% this year. He then identified a running theme in the data uncovered by TASC over the past 25 years; the distribution of market income in Ireland is deeply unequal, but substantial government transfers bring Ireland’s disposable income inequality back towards the EU average.
He was followed by TASC’s Technology Researcher Molly Newell, who presented an overview of her chapter on AI and Inequality. Guided by the question: ‘who stands to gain from the growth of Ireland’s digital economy, and who will be left behind?’, Newell explored the extent of the Irish workforce’s exposure to AI disruption, Ireland’s dependence on the US Big Tech firms that publish major AI models for taxation and employment, the particular vulnerability of younger workers to AI disruption, and the troubling risk that widespread AI adoption could entrench existing social inequalities.
They were joined by Irish Congress of Trade Unions General Secretary Owen Reidy and previous Executive Director of TASC Nat O’Connor for a panel discussion led by Neasa Hourigan, former Teachta Dála of Ireland. They reflected on inequality, poverty, and material deprivation over the past 25 years, while looking ahead to overcome persistent structural inequalities and the evolving role of AI in shaping the future.
