Govt ‘lied about ability to increase social welfare’

The Conference of Religious in Ireland has accused the Government of lying about its ability to increase social welfare rates in last month’s Budget.

The Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition increased the weekly payments by €10, claiming it didn’t have the funds to give any more.

However, CORI’s justice commission said exchequer figures published yesterday showed that the Government could have easily afforded to raise weekly social welfare payments by €12, as it had promised to do.

Spokesman Fr Sean Healy said: "It’s basic argument was that the money didn’t exist, but now we discover that the Government’s claim was not true, that in fact massive additional resources, almost 10 times what was required to meet that commitment, actually existed."