Call to protect the ‘working poor’

The Government has sufficient scope in its finances to make no further expenditure cuts in 2014, while also raising tax credits and social welfare payments by €5 per week, according to a leading advocacy group.

Social Justice Ireland (SJI) is today publishing a fully costed budget it claims will allow the Government to introduce measures to protect “the working poor”, while retaining its target of reducing borrowings by €3.1bn.

SJI has also proposed the introduction of a minimum effective corporate tax rate and maximum effective income tax rate as well as a major investment programme.