An independent think-tank is calling for the next government to invest more in public services and social housing, to avoid a 'broken society'.
New research by Social Justice Ireland, shows that rural areas of the country have higher poverty rates than towns and cities.
The Border, Midlands and Western region has seen one of the greatest reductions in full-time employment since 2008, and one of the lowest levels of IDA supported employment.
Director of Social Justice Ireland Dr Sean Healy, says the next government needs to make Ireland a more equitable place to live: "The challenge is to build a society where everybody has a place and a role, and we have the capacity and potential to do that."
"The alternative is that we have a broken society and broken societies are bad for business, as well as bad for the people that populate them."
"We need a substantial increase in the investment, and we need to that be used to deliver a vibrant economy, decent infrastructure, just taxation, good governance and sustainability."