Cut waste not welfare or wages, says justice group

THERE SHOULD be no cuts in social welfare and the minimum wage must not be reduced in the forthcoming budget, Social Justice Ireland said in a pre-budget briefing yesterday.

The group has also called for an increase in the tax take, and for priority to be given to education, health, housing, those on low incomes and the unemployed.

Its briefing on budget choices says that it is important to realise that this is not a poor State and that its tax take is one of the lowest in the developed world and continues to fall as a percentage of GDP. It notes that 15.8 per cent of people are at risk of poverty with incomes below €12,000 for a single person or € 28,000 for a family of four.

Social Justice Ireland was formed last month by leading figures behind Cori Justice, Fr Séan Healy and Sr Brigid Reynolds.

See www.socialjustice.ie