Of all the professions, artists are most likely to be poor and reliant on state benefits, according to new research by national statistics office CBS.

Around half of all those who classify themselves as artists had an income below €30,000 a year between 2013 and 2015, compared with 39% of workers as a whole and just 17% of those with a university or college degree.

Just 15% of artists earn more than €60,000 a year, pushing them into the top income tax band, the CBS said. The research was carried out for the education and culture ministry.

The CBS also said around one in five journalists and one in five city planners earn less than €30,000 a year.