Cori says Budget has overlooked key issues

Cori has welcomed the new measures in the Budget to tackle poverty and benefit the vulnerable groups in Irish society but said it failed to address a number of key issues.

Although the Government had taken "significant steps in the right direction" with social inclusion in the latest Budget, the group's justice commission said it had overlooked a number of issues, including social housing, inadequate spending on first and second level education, and full medical cards for children.

But the group welcomed the measures to address child poverty, increases in the lowest social welfare rates and the higher tax credits announced yesterday by Minister for Finance Brian Cowen.

"Increases in child benefit and the introduction of an early childcare supplement for children under six will be available to all children irrespective of the labour force status of their parents," the justice commission said in its report.

"We welcome the Government's decision to take this option rather than to go down a means-tested route in trying to target resources for children. This approach respects parents right to make choices in this context."

Reforms of the current tax system were also welcomed. "There is something profoundly unfair about a system where millionaires pay no tax while those on very low incomes do pay tax," said the report, adding that Mr Cowen's plans to cap tax reliefs and other steps taken in the Budget help address this lack of fairness.

However, while it applauded the increase in funding for Overseas Development Assistance to €675 million, the group criticised the inadequate funding for the Community Services Programme, and it called for an effective waste charge waiver system for poorer people.