Anti-poverty campaigners and children's rights groups gave a mixed response to yesterday's Budget.
While groups such as the Society of St Vincent de Paul welcomed generous pension increases, they criticised "paltry" increases in fuel allowances and other benefits.
The society's spokeswoman, Audrey Deane, said the pension increases would help older people out of poverty but a €4 increase in fuel allowance would not do enough for low-income families.
Age Action Ireland welcomed some of the pension increase but said it would barely keep many older people above the breadline. "This had been presented as the Budget which would woo the grey vote," said Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins. "However, many older voters and their families will be underwhelmed by this package. The Government has underestimated what has to be done to improve the quality of life of older people."
Welfare increases aimed at the poorest children in the State also received a mixed reaction.
The Children's Rights Alliance, a coalition of over 80 groups, said increases in the new qualified child allowance - formerly the child dependant allowance - would not have a major impact on poverty.
The group's chief executive, Jillian van Turnhout, said the old rate of the allowance was up to €21.60. Under the new rate it would be set at €22.
"Could prosperous Ireland not have done more for the child of a widow than an increase of 40 cent per week, following a 13-year freeze?" she said.
Barnardos, the children's charity, gave the Budget a "six out of 10" and said the Government could have done better.
The charity's chief executive, Fergus Finlay, said the child dependant increase meant lone parents would only be better off by a rate of €3 a week, yet the Government was aware that lone parents were one of the most vulnerable groups in the State.
One-parent family groups such as Open and One Family also expressed disappointment with the "dismal increase" for lone parents. They said it would do little to break the cycle of poverty affecting parents raising children on their own.
State agency Combat Poverty gave the Budget a more upbeat assessment, welcoming the package of measures aimed at addressing child poverty.
Its director, Helen Johnston, said: "This is what we were looking for, by and large. It will help make inroads into tackling child poverty, although a rise in income levels needs to be complemented by improvements in services such as childcare."
Fine Gael's social affairs spokesman David Stanton welcomed some of the increases but said the Government missed major opportunities by "all but ignoring childcare".
He said: "Despite the massive increases in creche costs that are coming in the New Year, the early childcare supplement will not be increased by one penny. Spouses who stay at home were similarly overlooked and there is nothing on after-school care," he added.
The National Women's Council of Ireland also said the measures would not make childcare costs any more affordable.
Dr Joanna McMinn, director of the group, said: "In January 2007 childcare will not be any cheaper. Families will still be obliged to pay on average €800 per month per child, which for two children is roughly equal to a monthly average industrial wage after taxes."
