Budget 2003 Can the Government deliver an equal and inclusive society in any new partnership agreeme

Published: Tuesday, December 03, 2002

This Budget has done little to protect the weaker sections of society' declared Ms Frances Byrne, spokesperson for the Community Platform.

'The Community Platform is appalled by the meagre increase in social welfare payments of only 6 euro per week' she continued. 'A person on social welfare will now receive a payment of 125.60 euro, which is significantly less than the 30% of Gross Average Industrial Earnings (GAIE) currently being sought by the Community Platform' added Donal Toolan, Community Platform spokesperson.

The spokespersons for the Community Platform, representing 26 national anti-poverty and equality networks and organisations, outlined a wide variety of issues on which the Minister has chosen not to invest in improving the lives of the less well-off:

• Budget 2003 has done nothing for the 50,000 households on Local Authority waiting lists who are either homeless or badly housed;
• The Governments election promise to take all those on the minimum wage out of the tax net has been broken, with 10% of those on the minimum wage still in the tax net;
• There was no increase in the income level for the retention of secondary benefits and this has remained the situation since 1994 and
• There was no increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for children under 12.

'The increase of 8 euro 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' stated Ms Byrne.

'The broken promises contained in this budget will raise serious questions about the Government's commitment to deliver an equal and inclusive society in any new partnership agreement' concluded Ms Byrne.