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.