Forget the tax cuts and tackle poverty instead

AT the start of this month, the Central Statistics Office reported again that Ireland is one of those EU states with the highest numbers ‘at risk of poverty’ (below 60% of median income) and one of the lowest levels of social spending.

At a more extreme level, the Government recently moved forward from 2007 to 2016 its target of eliminating ‘consistent poverty’ — the numbers living below the EU poverty line and not being able to afford essentials like keeping the house adequately warm or can’t afford a warm, waterproof overcoat.

We have three years left to achieve the target agreed by the EU prime ministers in 2000 “to make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty by 2010”.

We hope that parties and candidates can take time off from their tax-cutting auction to tell us how they will fund the services and supports to make this happen. Is it too much to expect that the next programme for government will include a commitment to bringing Ireland’s numbers at risk of poverty at least down to the EU average and to eliminating consistent poverty in the lifetime of the next Dáil?

Robin Hanan

Co-ordinator

European Anti Poverty

Network (Ireland)

5 Gardiner Row

Dublin 1