Still ‘some way to go’ to a fairer society

THE Government must increase social welfare rates, provide more social housing and tackle the two-tier health system if Ireland is to move towards a fairer society, according to a leading social justice campaigner.

With the estimates process underway, Finance Minister Brian Cowen warned Fianna Fáil TDs at the parliamentary party conference in Cavan not to expect too much in December's budget.

But Fr Sean Healy, director of the Conference of Religious of Ireland's Justice Commission, said the Government had "quite some distance to go" to meet its own commitments by the end of its term in 2007.

The Government should set seven priorities for its remaining budgets, he said.

These were:

Increasing the lowest full personal social welfare rate to 30% of average industrial earnings by 2007.

Increasing social housing provision.

Addressing the two-tier health system.

Ensuring a fairer tax system.

Doing more to tackle child poverty.

Addressing rural and regional deficits.

Giving a commitment to donate 0.7% of GNP to overseas aid by 2010.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern asked Fr Healy to address last year's conference in Inchydoney, as Fianna Fáil attempted to present a more caring image to the public.

Fr Healy outlined his vision of a fairer society, and urged that five key areas like social welfare rates and tax credits be addressed in that December's budget.

All five were addressed by Mr Cowen, and the Justice Commissiongave broad welcome to the Budget.

But a year on, Fr Healy stressed: "One swallow does not make a summer."

He recognised that "many good things" had happened on the economic front in the last decade, and the importance of continued economic development.

"But the key issue is that, to build a fairer society, we have to give equal priority to the social provision element of development as well as economic development. There should be a balance.

"There's quite an amount that needs to be done if Ireland is to have an inclusive society where everyone benefits from the Celtic Tiger economy."

The lowest full personal social welfare rate currently stands at €148.80, and according to the Justice Commission, this would have to rise to €185.80 over the next two budgets if the 30% target was to be met.

CORI, as it will outline at its annual social policy conference in Dublin in October, believes that for the first time in history, Ireland "has the resources to ensure that infrastructure and social provision deficits are tackled effectively".