Focus Ireland: Budget is a 'missed opportunity'

Focus Ireland has said that Budget 2008 is a missed opportunity to take further action to increase the provision of social housing and to tackle growing inequalities in Irish society.

The housing and homeless charity said latest CSO figures show 300,000 living in poverty.

Speaking at the launch of the Government's National Action Plan on Social Inclusion earlier this year the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said that: "An ambitious agenda for social change which will enable us to make a decisive impact on poverty in the years ahead" had been put in place by the Government.

Focus Ireland maintains that Budget 2008 has failed to live up to these ambitions.

Focus Ireland welcomed the acknowledgment from the Minister for Finance of the need to protect: "The incomes of the vulnerable in society" and support "special needs housing".

The charity said a commitment to commence or acquire 9,000 social housing units in 2008 does not guarantee "delivery" of those social housing units during 2008 which is the minimum total of completions required to tackle waiting lists.

The charity said that increases in social welfare are at least in line with inflation but added that this is not enough to help lift the most marginalised out of poverty and contrasts with the wage increases recently given to many politicians.

Focus Ireland also stressed that the Budget failed to deliver on the Taoiseach's previous commitment to make a "decisive" impact on poverty.

This is particularly true when it comes to providing housing for at least 5,000 people - who Focus Ireland and other leading voluntary agencies estimate are homeless - and over 43,000 households on the housing waiting lists.

Focus Ireland director of services, Orla Barry, said: "We are disappointed that there was no real action taken in the Budget to fast-track delivery of more social housing for those more in need in 2008. "

"Overall we welcome the increases in social welfare as a step in the right direction. However, when you keep in mind the constant rising cost of living in Ireland, which means people on welfare also have to pay increased prices for essential food stuffs and services - such as ESB and gas charges - the welfare increases will not be enough to lift the most marginalised people out of poverty."

"This is particularly worrying when one notes that the CSO announced last week that approximately 100,000 people are living in consistent poverty and overall a total of 17% of the entire population was still at risk of poverty."

The charity concluded that it hopes adequate action will be taken in this area when complete details are revealed on this topic later this month by the Minister for Social & Family Affairs.