The community and voluntary social partnership groups made their submissions to Government yesterday in the continuing round of talks on a new social partnership agreement.
The talks on the new national agreement, to replace the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, were attended yesterday by the Community Platform, which represents 26 groups and the Conference of Religious in Ireland's (CORI) Justice Commission.
They were calling for the prioritisation of social infrastructure and a narrowing of the gap between rich and poor.
The director of the CORI Justice Commission, Father Sean Healy, said CORI wanted an increase in tax on industry. It wanted new taxes on rental income and financial speculation.
If the State was ever to have EU levels of infrastructure and social provision, it must move towards a taxation level closer to the EU average, he said.
He said that although Ireland's average per capita income was well above the EU average, its infrastructure and social provision were far below the EU average level.
They were emphasising the need for a new agreement to ensure growth in the economy was shared fairly.
CORI's fundamental issue was for infrastructure and social provision, Father Healy said. This should be raised to EU levels.
Infrastructure would include housing, accommodation, public transport and social provision would include education, health and social welfare.
The Community Platform said its submission was about far more than pay increases.
Ms Frances Byrne, a spokeswoman for the group, said its priorities would be increases in social welfare, and would focus on children, housing, accommodation and education.
It was about prioritising social infrastructure, she said.
The Community Platform said pay issues would probably dominate private discussions between the trade unions, employers and the Government but stressed that the process was not just about pay.
Issues such as housing, accommodation and healthcare were hugely important for people faced with the inequality surrounding who got access to what.
Another key issue for the Community Platform was equality for women, people with disabilities, Travellers and asylum-seekers.
It is also seeking "a fair deal" for people on social welfare, substantial increases in child benefit, an end to adult and child poverty and an increase in the minimum wage.
The group had identified areas in which the Government could save money to be reinvested in anti-poverty and social inclusion measures.
It proposed that money should be borrowed to fund "key social infrastructure" under the National Development Plan.
The Government will give its response to the community and voluntary social partnership group's submissions at another meeting set for next Thursday.