A COALITION of anti-poverty organisations has called on the Government to assure vulnerable groups that it will not make any further cuts in social welfare payments or the minimum wage.
“The Poor Can’t Pay” campaign said its analysis of the cutbacks announced in the December budget showed they would impact hardest on the poorest in society and push thousands of families into poverty in coming months.
“The cuts will be worst for children, lone parents, unemployed people, those entering the labour market for the first time and those with disabilities,” said Dr Mary Murphy, spokeswoman for the anti-poverty campaign.
“We estimate that thousands of families will be pushed below the poverty line because of the December budget . . . €1 in every €5 that the Government cut came from the pockets of the poor. This contradicts the Government’s stated commitment to ‘protect the most vulnerable’,” said Dr Murphy.
A report by the coalition said Government claims that cuts in social welfare were justified by falling prices were wrong. It estimates prices have fallen by 3 per cent for the poorest households, compared to a 5 per cent fall in prices for wealthier households.
The campaign group said its analysis was based on research carried out by the ESRI, which found that the prices of goods bought by poor households have fallen more slowly than general prices. It said housing costs had fallen sharply due to lower interest rates on mortgages but fewer people on lower incomes had mortgages.
Private tenants, who rely on social welfare don’t benefit from falling rents, and rents for social housing tenants had increased in real terms because they were income related, said the report.
John-Mark McCafferty, head of social justice and policy at the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, said the “cocktail of cuts” outlined in the budget were affecting vulnerable groups such as children and lone parents particularly hard. He highlighted the cumulative effect that the cancellation of the Christmas bonus for social welfare claimants, the introduction of refuse charges by local authorities and cuts in rent supplement would have on those people affected.
Eamon Timmins, head of advocacy for Age Action Ireland, said fuel poverty was an increasing problem for older people during the current cold spell of weather.
“The Poor Can’t Pay” campaign is run by a coalition of charities, community organisations and trade unions, which includes among others: Focus Ireland; Age Action; Barnardos; Social Justice Ireland; and Mandate.
Case study: Maria Gately
Maria Gately (36) is a recovering drug addict and mother of eight children. She lives on €230 per week and is finding it difficult to make ends meet.
“I’m getting disability benefit at the moment but it doesn’t go far. My two-and-a-half- year old goes to creche, I’m paying ESB, rent and nappies out of that and trying to put food on the table.”
“My family is looking after seven of my children and I go and visit them once every two weeks. Social welfare used to pay for a taxi to enable me to visit one of my kids in the country but they have stopped paying for this because of cutbacks.”
“Coming up to Christmas I was very depressed when I heard we weren’t going to get the bonus and I couldn’t get presents for my kids. I’ve never robbed anything in my life but I think people will start robbing now.”
“I was homeless before and since I got an apartment I’ve never looked back . . . but why aren’t the rich helping out now and not people on the streets?”