The budget must prioritise working families and ensure they are properly supported, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) said today in its pre-budget submission.
Ictu said Minister for Finance Brian Cowen should invest in childcare and education, and help pave the way towards more flexible working conditions in budget 2008.
Ictu general secretary David Begg
"Congress strongly believes that investment in people and the services that support them will reap rich dividends in the future," said Ictu general secretary David Begg.
Ictu called for Government to make an integrated and efficient public transport system a priority.
Housing affordability also remains a problem ,according to congress, who said that at the current levels of provision "targets agreed under Towards 2016 will not be realised". Congress also want paid educational leave to help people to upskill or retrain.
"Ultimately, we believe that a serious programme of investment in people and services will deliver greater social cohesion, greater opportunities for all, increased productivity and stronger national competitiveness," Mr Begg added.
Ictu also called for an increase to the individual standard rate tax band of €4,000, maintenance of the minimum wage outside the tax net, the scrapping of hospital co-location, improved maternity leave, and the ending of discrimination in the tax system and social welfare against same-sex and cohabiting couples.
