THE ECONOMIC recovery plan given to the social partners was not strong enough on protecting social infrastructure and services, the director of the Cori said last night.
Fr Seán Healy said he met Government representatives yesterday to propose a number of amendments to the framework document, which were accepted.
“The bottom-line is that we need an integrated approach that addresses economic and social development simultaneously as they both need each other,” he said.
The amendments he proposed included the need to respect the existing commitment to a “life-cycle policy”; the complementary benefits of social and economic development and the need to protect social infrastructure and services.
Whatever was decided in the next few days, the need to protect the vulnerable throughout all stages of life was vital, he said, adding that consideration must be given to the 17 per cent of the population who had income levels below the poverty line.
“It is important to remember that this problem was not created by Ireland’s vulnerable people, and thus it would be unjust for them to bear the brunt of the adjustments required to bring the public finances into balance”.