Inequality and society

Sir, – Comment on the recent Tasc report on inequality agrees on one thing – the huge and important role which our welfare system plays in compensating for the large underlying inequalities in our society (Editorial, "Growing inequality – the politics of them and us", February 17th; "Comparison of Ireland's income inequality with US nonsensical", Opinion & Analysis, February 25th).

This explains why, when social welfare rates for people under 25 were slashed, the effect has been so devastating for the most vulnerable young people.

Since these cuts, all homeless services have reported an increase in young people needing their services.

Certainly some jobless young people can fall back on “social transfers” from their families, but the almost 500 young people who will have to rely on emergency homeless shelters this month needed the support of a welfare system which has been taken away.

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Of course they need access to training and decent jobs as well, but without a home or enough income to sustain one, those objectives are very far away.

An experience of homelessness at a young age is damaging and creates a much greater risk of homelessness in later years.

When the Government congratulates itself for being the only bailout country which defended its welfare system, it would do well to remember those it abandoned along the way, and introduce targeted measures to help them. – Yours, etc,

MIKE ALLEN,

Focus Ireland,

High Street,

Christchurch,

Dublin 8.