Commissioner accused of ‘insulting’ poor and vulnerable

EU Commissioner Olli Rehn has been accused of insulting Ireland’s poor and vulnerable by refusing to meet organisations representing them during his two-day visit to Dublin to discuss the budget with the Government and others.

Social Justice Ireland said the Commissioner’s actions show he supports the Government’s budget strategy which they say will damage the poor, the sick, the vulnerable and the unemployed.

“It is totally unacceptable that the European Commission supports an approach which will see Ireland’s weakest groups take the major part of the ‘hit’ for the reckless actions of greedy bankers, incompetent regulators and an inept government”, said Social Justice Ireland’s Sean Healy.