'Ireland rich enough to meet everyone's needs'

Ireland is still a rich country and we should be doing better for the poor, according to the organisers of a conference in Cork today.

Independent think-tank TASC is hoping to reach consensus on issues such as the level of income required to avoid poverty.

TASC is hosting the event together with the Foundation for European Progressive Studies.

TASC director Nat O'Connor said: "There should be a distribution of income that allows everybody to meet their needs, to have a reasonable level of comfort.

"We shouldn't have a situation where people cannot meet their basic needs in this day and age."