St Vincent de Paul says it has detected "a softening" in the Government's approach towards social welfare and poverty issues.
Speaking at the presentation of its annual report yesterday, senior members of the society said they had been receiving positive feedback from Government to their various proposals for increasing social welfare spending and targeting poverty.
Mr John Monaghan, vice president of St Vincent de Paul, said there had been an increased level of interest in the area from the Taoiseach and his ministers. "We've certainly had utterances," he said. "But, leaving aside pronunciations of being a socialist ... we've certainly detected a softening in tone."
Mr Monaghan said that staff also held a very constructive meeting with the new Minister for Social Affairs, Mr Brennan.
"I have to say that I had the impression that he was very definitely listening to us."
He said while he believed there had been "a change of emphasis", the Government would have to back this up with real changes in the Budget. There would have to be a reversal of the remaining "savage 16" cuts in social welfare made at the last budget. During its annual report presentation, the society also rejected claims that inequality was a necessary component in society as "social and economic nonsense".
It was referring to comments earlier this year from the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, that a dynamic liberal economy like Ireland "demands flexibility and inequality in some respects to function". It called for a series of measures to be introduced in tomorrow's Budget, including a minimum rise of €20 per week in adult social welfare, an €18.30 rise in child benefit and a €14 rise in the old age pension. The society also called for a restoration of at least 100,000 medical cards to bring coverage back up to 2001 levels.
Mr Brian O'Reilly, national president of St Vincent de Paul, said the annual report showed that despite the economic boom, a large part of Irish society continued to live in poverty. The society spent €31 million last year, or €600,000 per week, on "fighting poverty and social exclusion".
"Social exclusion is not just a snapshot of inequality," he said. "It encompasses material deprivation certainly - but it also denies people the opportunities to participate fully in life."