Facing reality - Work is the best escape from poverty

THOUGH the poor may always be with us it is difficult to understand why so very many of our fellow citizens remain in its relentless, cross-generational grip.

Never has Ireland afforded such opportunity to those who wish to secure a warm place for themselves and their families. The great number of immigrants joining us is testament to this. But, as yesterday’s report from the Combat Poverty Agency shows, a lot remains to be done. It is hard to imagine that in the Ireland of stocks and shares nearly 300,000 people are poor.

Maybe the time has come to say the unsayable: Our welfare systems, designed to help those in need, are, in fact, sustaining poverty. They have failed.