Social welfare must be raised by £14 a week in the Budget to guarantee "a real increase" in its value, according to the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, in its Budget submission, published yesterday.
The body also wants the personal tax allowance increased to £6,000 a year and the PAYE allowance raised to £3,000 to take people on the national minimum wage out of the tax net.
The group also wants a package of child income supports, including a £10 increase in child benefit, increased child dependant allowances, and a parental childcare payment.
On the housing front the INOU is calling for a new local authority scheme to help low-income tenants in the private rented sector. At present they depend on means-tested rent subsidies from the health boards.
"Last year's Budget was a slap in the face to unemployed people, giving them a mere £4 increase, compared with £40 a week to top income earners," INOU general secretary Mr Tony Monks said. "Mr McCreevy increased the poverty gap in a time of prosperity. The Government cannot afford to repeat the same mistake again."