Austin Deasy
Question:27 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Finance the reason that earnings in the south east region are 12% below the national average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14505/01]
Written Answers. - Income Levels.
This question refers to a report, Household Incomes, Regions and Counties 1991-1998, published by the CSO earlier this month. In the report household income includes wages and salaries, income from self employment, and transfer payments from the State – these include the imputed value of some non-cash benefits, which accrue to households such as secondary and university education, free drugs and free fuel and transport for the elderly.
It also includes, in conformity with the definition of income in the national accounts, the imputed value of own farm consumption and income in kind, as well as the imputed rent of owner occupied dwellings, that is, the estimated rent that the occupier, as a tenant, would pay to him or herself as a landlord. Household income on this national accounting basis is therefore not the same as the cash income that accrues to private households.
The report states that disposable incomeper capita of the South East region was 12% below the State average in 1998 and was the lowest of the eight regional authority areas. While no detailed analysis has been carried out by my Department of the underlying reasons for the disparity in per capita disposable income in different regions shown in the report, it appears that among the factors involved are the structure of the population and the nature of economic activities in each region.