Ahern praised for push on EU wealth and jobs

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern was praised for his role in pushing the EU agenda to create more wealth and jobs in Europe at the summit of leaders in Brussels.

But workers and poverty groups contested this, saying Ireland has the highest poverty levels in the EU and should not be used as a role model for Europe's future growth.

Despite setting out an ambitious programme four years ago to make it easier to establish a business, create jobs and improve productivity, Europe is falling further behind the US.

EU leaders committed to a series of measures to relaunch the so-called Lisbon agenda and the drive to create 14 million new jobs over the next six years.

The European

Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) warned the union was losing sight of the social aspect of the Lisbon agenda and creating wealth would not necessarily help the less well off.

Brian Carty of EAPN Ireland said we have experienced this at home the rich have got richer while poverty levels are rising and inequality is growing.

"The bulk of the money has gone to those people that are already wealthy Ireland has the highest number of people at risk of poverty not just in the EU 15 but in the 25 states."he said.

The latest European Commission figures show 20% of the population is at risk of poverty and this rises to half among those over 65 years of age.

While Ireland had increased its GDP from 65% of the EU average to 119% now the economy could not be said to be a successful one if it leaves so many people behind, he added.

He did not believe the emphasis on competitiveness stressed by the Taoiseach and other leaders at yesterday's summit was the right direction.

"The political energy and will is not there to deal seriously with the whole social inclusion aspect. This is very short sighted by the Irish Presidency and the prime ministers of the other countries," said Mr Carty.

Instead, Sweden would be a better role model for the EU. "It has shown itself to be good at delivering on all aspects including competitiveness, a good social system, employment and on the environment.

"Ireland and the EU should be looking at Sweden and even Denmark rather than comparing ourselves to the US or Britain and trying to move in that direction," he said.

However the Taoiseach insisted that the agenda stressed competitiveness and social inclusion.

"I think the lesson is if you are competitive you generate employment, you generate resources and you can spend them to help people who need them," he said. The meeting agreed to devise a way to test EU policies to make sure they were not anti-competitive.