Half the households in Ireland have a disposable income of less than €35,000 a year, according to new research from the Nevin Economic Research Institute. Disposable income is the money left after tax is deducted from – and benefits added to – incomes.

The trade union-backed think tank also found that the top 10% of households have a disposable income of over €77,000 a year, while the richest 3% enjoy more than €2,000 per week, or €104,000 a year.

The research, by Nevin economist Micheál Collins, reveals that almost two-thirds of households live on a gross (pre-tax and benefit) income of less than €50,000 a year, while a third have a gross income of less than €27,000.