Irish social spending is low by EU standards

IN his letter defending the Government’s below EU average social spending (Irish Examiner, February 3), Pat Carey TD mischievously suggests that low social spending is attributable to the low level of unemployment.

This is very disingenuous. For example, in their report on 'Care for Older People' published recently, the National Economic and Social Forum pointed out that "our levels of social spending on social protection are low by EU and OECD standards considering our levels of wealth, and this is particularly so for services relating to old age".

The Government has also failed to address the plight of the working poor 14% of households in poverty are now headed by those with a job compared to 7% in 1994.