Tánaiste to take ‘social policy’ into account over proposed cuts
Despite Taoiseach Brian Cowen insisting nothing in report should be ruled out from consideration, Ms Coughlan indicated yesterday that social implications would have to be taken into account.
Speaking on her native Donegal the Enterprise Minister said Professor Colm McCarthy’s report was an economic exercise to identify areas of overspending but government policy also had to factor in non-financial consequences.
The Tánaiste went on to say that while Prof McCarthy had been asked to assess savings from an “economic policy” prospective, actual cuts would have to be more measured.
“Someone like me has to take a social policy perspective and coming from this part of the world all of us would agree from a humanity point of view that everybody has a role in society.
“We must provide the wherewithal to play that role. And that includes a person who is disabled to a person who has 10 PhDs. That is difficult,” she said.
The Enterprise Minister was taking part in a questions and answers’ session at the annual MacGill Summer School.
The comments appeared to be markedly softer than the tone adopted by Mr Cowen, who has stated it would be futile to engage in an exercise like the McCarthy inquiry if certain areas where exempted from cuts as soon as the report was unveiled.
The report was condemned by unions, anti-poverty campaigners and disabled rights groups due to the €1.9 billion welfare cuts it proposed.
If implemented, such measures would see all benefits slashed by 5% and child allowance reduced by €30 per month.
The study also stated the health budget needed to be cut by €1.2bn with higher hospital charges and greater means testing for elderly care.
The Bord Snip Nua was also accused by critics of going after soft targets by targeting areas like the provision of teachers for special needs children for cutbacks.
However, Prof McCarthy, who also called for the abolition of 17,300 public sector jobs, said health, welfare and education had bourne the brunt of his recommendations because the three areas accounted for two thirds of all government spending.
Ministers will consider the report over the summer as they asses which measures will be politically possible to achieve in the December budget.
