Severe material deprivation affected 9.5 per cent of persons living in private households in 2013, according to the statistics on income and living conditions survey, the results of which were published by the NSO.

The NSO said the survey showed that the most common type of residential private dwellings in 2013 were apartments, followed by semi-detached or terraced houses. Just under a third of main dwellings contained five rooms.

The largest proportion of households (28 per cent) consisted of two persons. One-person households made up 22.8 per cent of the total, while households with at least five persons accounted for 8.3 per cent.

Over three-fourths of dwellings were owned, with 59.5 per cent of households being without a mortgage.

The survey indicated tenants were mainly households without dependent children (77.1 per cent).

The average monthly housing costs recorded in 2013 were €172 per household. Over half of respondents perceived these costs as a heavy burden, compared to the 7.3 per cent who considered such expenses as immaterial.

Over 95 per cent of households owned a telephone, a colour television and a washing machine. A total 27.1 per cent and 18.5 per cent, respectively, did not own a computer or a car, although the percentage of households who could not afford to do so was less than four per cent in both cases.

In addition, 85.6 per cent of households could afford to eat a meal with chicken, meat, fish or a vegetarian equivalent every other day. Over three-fourths of the households could face unexpected financial expenses and a similar proportion could keep their home adequately warm in winter.

More than half the households, however, replied that they could not afford to pay for a one-week annual holiday away from home.

The share of households in arrears with “mortgage or rent payments” or “utility bills” was less than 10 per cent in both instances. Notwithstanding, 35.2 per cent reported that they were finding it difficult to make ends meet.

The at-risk-of-poverty rate stood at 15.7 per cent in 2013, while the at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion rate stood at 24 per cent. The material deprivation and severe material deprivation rates stood at 19.4 per cent and 9.5 per cent respectively.