Coalition promises - Fight against poverty needs action

DESPITE the Coalition’s loud boast of managing, if that’s the word, one of Europe’s fastest-growing economies, the grim reality at the underbelly of Irish society is that a staggering 600,000 people in this country are mired in poverty.

Such an appalling vista, depicted by the St Vincent de Paul charity in its pre-budget submission, gives the lie to political claims that things have never been better.

And it makes a mockery of claims that in overall terms the level of poverty is falling.