The Conference of Religious Orders in Ireland (CORI) has urged voters to put poverty, inequality and social justice at the top of the agenda in its General Election document published today.
The organisation, which represents 12,000 members in 135 religious congregations countrywide, is also a social partner, having signed Partnership 2000 and the Programme for Prosperity (PPF).
The document, which poses ten questions for the political parties, points out that although the country has never been wealthier, 20 per cent of the population are living in poverty.
Fr Sean Healy SMA, spokesman for CORI’s justice commission, said there has also been an increase in the number of entire households living below the poverty line. "There is a major paradox at the heart of Irish development," Fr Healy said.
"Despite the unprecedented economic growth of the Irish economy in recent years and its accompanying prosperity, there has been a marked failure to address adequately the issues of poverty, inequality, social exclusion and sustainability.
"While Ireland now has a per capita income well above the EU average its infrastructure and social provisions are fare below the EU level".
Among the issues CORI said that need to be most urgently addressed are: income, basic income, health care, accommodation, education, asylum seekers, employment and Third World debt.
CORI also castigated the Government for failing to met its promises under the PPF to spend €1.3 million on voter education.
CORI’s full general election document can be viewed at www.cori.ie/justice.