Other states put Ireland to shame

The claim that Ireland is one of the richest countries in the world must sit very uncomfortably with the bald fact that Ireland is spending the very least on social protection among the EU’s old 15 members.

This country is barely ahead of some of the newer and poorer EU states on what is spent on things like old-age and widows pensions, child benefit and maternity leave, sickness and disability allowances.

Even though the new states were not included in the latest statistics from Eurostat as they relate to 2002, the Government should be embarrassed by comparisons even today.