The gap in the disposable incomes between the Southern and Eastern regions and the Border Midlands and Western regions is lessening, according to the Central Statistics Office today.
The figures reveal that the disposable income per person in Southern and Eastern regions was 2.5 per cent above the State average, while the Border Midlands and Western regions was 6.8 per cent below.
The 9.3 percentage point difference between the two regions in 2004 compares favourably to gaps of 10.5 points in 2003 and 11.8 points in 2002.
The Dublin region had the highest disposable income per person at 11.8 per cent above the State average, while the South East was the lowest of the eight regional authority areas at 8.8 per cent below.
At county level, only Limerick, Kildare and Cork joined Dublin in having a disposable income above the State average at 3.8 per cent, 2.7 per cent and 0.5 per cent above respectively.
Counties Carlow, Donegal, Kerry, Kilkenny, Offaly, Roscommon and Wexford were found to have average disposable incomes per person at less than 90 per cent of the State average.
