Housing charity believes Budget will widen gap between rich and poor
Housing association Respond! has claimed that today’s Budget "disproportionately" affects the most vulnerable in Irish society.
The association maintained that cuts to social welfare and child benefit will inflict further hardship on families.
The housing charity believes today’s budget will put more families and children at risk of poverty.
Spokesperson Aoife Walsh said the lower paid and those in receipt of social welfare will be left devastated by today’s budget.
Ms Walsh said: "What the minister achieved with this budget is a widening of the gap between the rich and the poor. For the second year in row, those in receipt of social welfare have seen their payments reduced.
"The new supplementary welfare allowance payment of €186 is now more than €38 below the poverty line of €224.75. We know from the recent CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions that nearly one third of all families were unable to put meat on the dinner table, heat the family home adequately or buy new clothes of furniture.
"This budget means that this number will now increase dramatically in the coming months.”
Respond! has also expressed concern at the effect the budget will have on children.
The reduction in child benefit will force many families on the margins over the edge, according to the charity.
Ms Walsh said: "In 2009 the number of children living in consistent poverty in Ireland was nearly 92,000, up from 65,000 in 2008. Without doubt today’s announcement on child benefit will mean an increase in the number of children in Ireland forced into poverty.
"This is one of the most vulnerable groups in Irish society but the Government failed to protect them today," said Walsh.
The housing charity is also disappointed at the Government's decision to increase the amount those in recipt of rent supplement will be forced to pay.
Respond! believes reform of the rent supplement system is required as the number of people relying on rent supplement has increased rapidly in recent years.
However, Respond! contends that savings could be made by the State through Local Authorities directly negotiating with landlords, as it does for the Rental Accommodation Scheme.
