Rich profiting from our hardship

Your recent front page headline, ‘Austerity filling the pockets of Ireland’s richest’ (Sept 12), confirms the previous evidence of our Government’s support for the wealthy at the expense of the middle and lower classes.

Figures released by the Revenue Commissioners in 2012 show that the top 20% of income earners pay tax at only 21%, while the top 1% pay just 24%. In July, last year Social Justice Ireland reported that the gap between Ireland’s rich and poor is widening.

Over a single year, the disposable income of Ireland’s poorest households fell by a massive 18.6 %, while the income of the richest tenth increased by more than 4%.