UN report on Irish poverty level shows Govt policies are bereft of equity and fairness

national | anti-capitalism | opinion/analysis Tuesday July 08, 2003 17:08 by Richi - LP

The Labour Party Spokesperson on Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Willie Penrose has said the latest report from the UN, which shows that Ireland has the second highest level of poverty in the western world, is proof that the present Government’s policies are bereft of equity and fairness.

He said that Ireland is at the same level of poverty as it was this time last year and the Government seems to be completely out of touch with the reality facing many hard-pressed families on the breadline.

“The report of the United Nations Development Programme makes for sobering reading after a period of unprecedented economic buoyancy in this country. That Ireland continues to have the highest level of poverty in the western world, outside of the United States, is a shocking verdict on the iniquitous policies of this socially divisive Government.

“The evidence to show that it is the wealthy who benefited disproportionately from the boom under Fianna Fail and the PDs is mounting. We already know from a report from the Combat Poverty Agency that in his six budgets to date Charlie McCreevy has allocated six times more resources to the top 30% in our society than to the bottom 30%.

“The reality is that the erosion of consistent poverty is not a priority for this Government. Too many of its social and economic policies are geared towards the higher earners – made to order tax breaks can be added to Finance Bills at the last moment.

“Those on the breadline who rely on social welfare and who are facing further difficulties in a Government-induced economic decline have little to hope for from a Government that has talked tough on poverty but failed miserably to do something constructive about it. The rising tide has certainly not lifted all boats”, Deputy Penrose concluded