Poverty is State’s ‘biggest budgetary scandal’

THE growing gap between Ireland’s rich and poor has been attacked as “Ireland’s greatest budgetary scandal” by the Conference of Religious in Ireland (CORI).

The organisation, representing more than 12,000 members of religious congregations in Ireland, yesterday criticised the Government's past budgetary decisions for favouring the better-off in society.

It also said Ireland has a low tax-take, by EU standards, which translates into under-funding in many areas, including health, education and housing.

According to CORI the economic boom of the past few years has failed to penetrate all sectors of society.

“Around one in five people is below the income poverty line of €165 for a single person which is €46.20 more than the current level of most social assistance rates,” said CORI spokesperson Fr Seán Healy.

“Despite the substantial resources which have been available, Ireland’s poorest people have been effectively excluded from what is required to live life with dignity.

“This is unjust, unfair and unacceptable.”

In order to reduce this gap, CORI has called on the Government to raise the lowest social welfare payments by 14 per week for single people and by 24 per week for couples in next month's budget.

CORI said the budget should give priority to tackling the rich/poor gap as well as providing major investment for infrastructure and social provision.

In its pre-budget submission which is being launched today, CORI’s Justice Commission urged Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy to reverse the trend of previous budgets whereby resources were largely given to the better-off in society.

CORI, one of the social partners, claims budgetary problems have been caused by the Government's “imprudent management of resources in the years of plenty”.

He acknowledged recent economic improvements including job growth rates, the reduction in the number of long-term unemployed, and a per capita income above the EU average.

“However, Ireland does not have an EU standard of infrastructure or social provision. The gap between an unemployed person and a person on €50,000 a year has widened by €243 a week over the past five years as a result of Government decisions.”