Budget 2003 - Women and children last!!

Published: Tuesday, December 03, 2002

'Minister McCreevy has penalised the poor and the parents of Ireland in Budget 2003' declared Ms Gráinne Healy, Chairwoman of the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI). 'Budget 2003 ensures that the most vulnerable women in our society will struggle to afford to survive' she continued.

'Why has the Minister made these unnecessary choices' asked Ms Healy. 'He has totally broken his election promise in relation to child benefit' she added. 'The paltry increase of 8 euros per child per month, announced today, offers absolutely no assistance to parents in supporting and caring for their children. It represents only a quarter of the sum committed to by the Government during the run up to the general election' continued Ms Healy.

'The increase of 6 euros per week, in social welfare payments for the poorest families in the country is shameful' declared Ms Healy. 'Those who benefited least during the economic boom, continue to be left behind' she stated.

'The failure of this budget to take all of those on the minimum wage out of the tax net, will particularly affect women' said Ms Healy. 'The vast majority of low-paid and part-time workers are women' she added. 'During the election campaign, the Government promised to take all those on the minimum wage out of the tax net. However this budget only succeeds in targeting 90% of those on the minimum wage' continued Ms Healy.

'Today's budget reinforces the inequalities between rich and poor' stated Ms Healy. 'In the measures outlined today, Minister McCreevy has chosen to put women and children last' she concluded.