Conference hears views on Govt’s poverty policies

A conference in Dublin today has been hearing conflicting views about the Government's record in tackling poverty.

Social justice campaigner Sr Stanislaus Kennedy told the gathering that the gap between rich and poor was widening and Irish society had turned its back on the less well-off and marginalised.

However, Kevin O'Kelly, the director of the Combat Poverty Agency, said the number of people living in poverty had fallen by 25% in recent years and government policies were working.

The conference was arranged by Combat Poverty to discuss the effectivenes of social welfare policies over the past 20 years.