Yesterday I attended the launch of the TASC's report, Cherishing All Equally 2016: Economic Inequality in Ireland, a copy of which I have in my hand. I recommend that everybody take the time to read it. It is incredibly well put together. It contains startling figures. For those who do not know, TASC stands for Think-tank for Action on Social Change. It is an independent progressive think-tank whose core focus is economic equality and democratic accountability. Mr. Fergus Finlay was in attendance to assist with yesterday's launch.

The 2016 report reveals a deep inequality at the heart of this economic recovery that threatens its sustainability. It demonstrates not only that there is a deep divide in Irish society in terms of wealth and income, but also that this divide is getting worse. The report states that the top 10% of wealth earners now own 54% of Ireland's wealth while the bottom 50% hold less than 5% of the wealth. Therefore, half of the population in the State has less than 5% of the wealth. That is the Republic that has been delivered to us.

There are shocking figures for gender inequality. For example 29% of female workers are low paid as opposed to 19% of men. The gender pay gap between women with no children and women with at least one child is 31% - the highest in the European Union. The proportion of children living in consistent poverty rose from 6.8% in 2008 to 11.7% in 2013. That equates to 138,000 children, one in eight, living in consistent poverty. One in ten people aged over 65 years is at risk of poverty. In 2014 lone parent households had a deprivation rate of 58.7% and a consistent poverty rate of 22%.

The overall message is that for all the spin of the Government and the media, inequality is growing, not decreasing. The rate of child poverty has nearly doubled. In-work poverty is on the increase, as is deprivation. At the same time the wealth share of the top 10% rose by 10% in a year. These figures are as a direct result of unbroken conservative rule in this state. It does not matter whether it was Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael conservative rule; the results have been the same. I ask the Deputy Leader to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House in September for a debate on inequality. We need to talk about the issue.