BUDGET 2016: Rich-poor gap ‘widened further’

Social Justice Ireland has savaged the budget, claiming it has added to a widening poverty gap and that the measures are based on “false assumptions”.

The group said Tuesday’s measures marked the fifth regressive budget in a row, and favoured the better-off rather than the most poor and vulnerable in society.

It welcomed the minimum wage increase, but said more needed to be done given the fall in living standards.