February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Andrew Bushe
DUBLIN — The economic boom has sent Irish people on a shopping spree with household spending soaring by over 46 percent in five years. The government’s household survey 1999-00 shows each home spent an average of _455.47 a week last year.
The typical household income went up by 53 percent, to _525 a week, in five years, but the study reveals a big gap between rich and the poor.
Earners in the wealthiest household group had a disposable income of _1,125 punts a week compared to just _84 punts in the poorest homes.
The wealth gap is growing with the incomes of the rich up by 61 percent in the five years compared to 37 percent for those at the bottom.
Homes with the lowest incomes spent 29 percent of their income on food, compared to only 16 percent for the rich households.
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Overall, the biggest increase in spending was for household goods, which jumped by over 87 percent in five years.
The survey also recorded a 67 percent in transport spending, most of it on new cars.
According to the data, households are now spending proportionately less on food, heating and lighting and clothing and footwear than five years ago.
Almost 99 percent of homes have a TV, 49 percent have two, and 85 percent have a video player.
Nearly 90 percent have a phone and 44 percent have a mobile phone.
Over 83 percent of homes have central heating, 29 percent a computer, 71 percent a microwave oven, 32 percent a dishwasher and 93 percent a washing machine.
The Central Statistics Office survey examined the spending patterns of over 7,600 homes.