The Society of St Vincent de Paul yesterday called on the Government to reverse social welfare cuts from the last Budget which had caused "fear and misery" among thousands of vulnerable people.
The cuts, dubbed the "savage sixteen", affected a range of welfare benefits including creche payments, rent supplements and back-to-education grants.
Prof John Monaghan, the society's vice-president, said: "I described them at the time as mean and petty and stick by that. They saved the Government €58 million, but caused real fear and misery among those affected."
In its pre-Budget submission, the group said the buoyant economy gave the Government an opportunity to take a decisive step towards fairness and equality. This could be done through improving social welfare and employment supports, addressing housing needs, tackling educational disadvantage and removing health inequalities.
Mr Monaghan, however, said there appeared to be growing disbelief that poverty still existed in Ireland. "Thousands of people we visit are engaged in a daily struggle of emotional and financial brinkmanship. It's time for the Government to face the facts and deal with them - not debate them," he said.
He said the Budget would prove an "acid test" of whether pledges made by Fianna Fáil at its parliamentary party meeting in Inchydoney to project a more caring face would stand up to scrutiny.
In the area of social welfare, the society wants the minimum rates increased by €20 and the old age pension by €14 in order for the Government to keep its anti-poverty targets on track.
Child benefit should also be increased by €18.30 to €149.90 for first and second children, while the Child Dependants Allowance - an anti-poverty payment which has fallen in value over the last decade - should also be increased, the society said.
Taxation policies should be changed to ensure all those on the minimum wage are removed from the tax system, while tax credits should be increased to help support lower paid workers.
It said back-to-school allowances were "totally inadequate". It says the cost of clothing a 6th class pupil is €359.50, while the allowance is just €80 a year.
The cost of of increasing these allowances to meet children's needs would be around €26.6 million, the society said.
"I heard today that the Monasterevin by-pass is costing €8 million per kilometre. The cost of helping to tackle the cost of schooling is just three kilometres of motorway. We believe children are more important than motorways," he said.
He said good quality early education had a very positive effect on the later performance of children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. He said the removal of the emergency creche payment was "inexplicable" and needed to be reversed.
Prof Monaghan said society in general would have to pay, whether through increases in tax or other methods, in order to adequately address poverty.
