THE GOVERNMENT’S approach to the budget is hypocritical, deeply unjust and will seriously damage the most sick, poor and vulnerable people, the Social Justice Ireland organisation has said.
In a strongly worded statement, the non-governmental organisation said yesterday it was clear the Government had decided the rich and strong would not be asked to make sacrifices and the weak and poor would bear the brunt of planned adjustments.
It urged Government to take a fairer course, saying it was possible and asked it to look to the organisation’s “fully costed” budget, published last month, which would achieve spending reductions of €3 billion by 2014 without hitting the poorest.
“While Government has said everything must be on the table when it considers how to reduce its borrowing to 3 per cent of GDP by 2014, it immediately goes on to insist that senior bond-holders cannot be asked to bear any part of the adjustment; that corporation tax cannot be increased; that the Croke Park agreement must be honoured in full, and, that a greater part of the adjustments will come through expenditure cuts rather than through tax increases.
“This approach is hypocritical and deeply unjust. Either everything is on the table or it is not.”
The statement says that by taking so many things off the table Government has created a situation where most of the adjustments will be made at the expense of the poor, sick and vulnerable. “This is patently unjust.”
Ministers had insisted they must reduce welfare rates, must bring the working poor into the tax net, thus deepening their poverty, and must reduce funding to services for the ill, old and disabled. “Social Justice Ireland fully acknowledges the gravity of the present situation, which has been caused by a variety of groups including bankers, regulators and government itself. Very difficult decisions must be made ... ” However, the decisions must be fair and just rather than “targeting the sick and poor to rescue Ireland”.
The Social Justice Ireland’s “costed budget” based on the Government’s earlier adjustment of €3billion in the Budget is online at www.socialjustice.ie
