A substantial increase in the fuel allowance, measures to "urgently" address child poverty and the welfare of the elderly would be his priorities in the forthcoming budget, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Séamus Brennan said yesterday.
He was addressing 32 organisations working with some of the most vulnerable groups in the State that had been invited to a pre-budget forum in Dublin to give their views about what should be included in December's budget.
The forum, which was attended by such groups as Barnardos, Age Action Ireland, the Children's Rights Alliance, the Carers' Association, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and the Forum of People with Disabilities, was also attended by officials from the Department of Finance.
Outlining his priorities at the start of the forum, the Minister said: "I want to eradicate from the country any trace of child poverty. That is top of my list. It is not acceptable that there's any trace of child poverty."
Figures published this year showed one in four children, or 242,000, is living in poverty.
Mr Brennan also said the elderly would be "prioritised".
"When you look at the swagger of people now, who think they built the country, little do they seem to realise they are standing on the shoulders of older generations."
He said it was "unacceptable" that those older people who had "through suffering, hard work, sweat and misery laid the foundations" for recent economic growth should now not have a 'decent income'."
Repeatedly during the forum organisations including Cori, Age Action Ireland, the Retired Workers' Committee and the Congress (Ictu) Centres Network, called for increase in the fuel allowance given the continuing price rises for oil, gas and electricity. The allowance is currently €9 per week.
Mr Brennan agreed with their concerns, saying: "Yes, I do believe the issue of fuel costs will have to be addressed."
Barnardos was among those that called for an increase in child benefit. It also called for increases in the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance.
The Tallaght Welfare Society said welfare payments alone are not enough. Its spokeswoman said two issues were "continually raised" in the society's work. These were the loss of secondary benefits when a person takes up employment, and the paucity of services.
"We have colossal problems with getting speech therapy and childcare, for example. These are communities which are disadvantaged from day one."
A spokesman criticised the "rows and rows" of apartment blocks being built in Tallaght "with no services and no sense of community".
Almost all organisations called for the basic social welfare rate to be increased in December by €17 per week.
