CSO figures show Offaly was 4th poorest county

Offaly was the country's fourth poorest county, new figures have revealed.

The County Incomes and Regional GDP figures published this week by the Central Statistics Office show that in 2014, the latest year for which figures are available, the average disposable income in Offaly was 85.6% of the national average.

Only Donegal (78.4%), Monaghan (84.4%) and Roscommon (85%) had lower average disposable income levels.

Dublin, Limerick,  Kildare and Cork  are the only counties where per capita disposable income exceeded the state average in 2014.

The figures show that the average Offalian had about €5,500 less disposable income in 2014 than the average Dubliner.

Offaly remained static in the national income table, having been fourth poorest in 2013 although it was third lowest in 2012.

In real terms, the average disposable income per person of €16,460 actually represented an increase on the €16,176 from 2013.

However, in comparative terms, Offaly's share of the national income at 85.6% was at its lowest in nine years.

In 2007, average disposable income in Offaly was 90.1% of the national average.

The Midlands remained the second poorest region (behind the Border area) with disposable income per person at 89.3% of the national average.

Offaly remained the poorest county in the Midlands, behind Longford, Westmeath and Laois.

The O'Moore County took over from Westmeath as the richest county in the Midlands.

Dublin continues to remain the only region with higher per capita disposable income than the State average during the entire 2006-2014 period while the Midland, Border and West regions  continue  to earn less than the State average.