We have repeatedly called on the State to examine the impact of its COVID-19 response with regard to structurally vulnerable groups.
This report provides a meaningful contribution to that evidence-base in the context of the labour market. The evidence demonstrates that employment levels rose for all groups analysed post-pandemic, while unemployment and labour market inactivity generally fell. The overall recovery in the labour market post pandemic has been extraordinary given the nature and extent of the shock, likely due in part to the package of financial measures. The findings shine a light on the buffering effect of the fiscal response to the COVID-19 pandemic on the labour market, highlighting the protective and stabilising role of significant public investment.
This report is the first in the 2022-2024 IHREC/ESRI Research programme, but marks the eleventh published report since 2017 under the IHREC/ESRI Irish Human Rights and Equality Research Programme Series. These research reports examine equality and discrimination in Ireland across a wide range of themes and topics including inequality in the labour market, disability, caring and unpaid work, inequality in housing and attitudinal research towards diversity and migration in Ireland.
These detailed studies continue to provide us with a better understanding of equality and discrimination in Ireland, expanding the boundaries of existing knowledge and guiding us towards new horizons of insight.