Sir, – As a founding member of Basic Income Ireland (BII) I would like to point out that we have been advocating for a universal basic income since May 2011.
This was long before the introduction of a pilot scheme for artists or the newfound interest in the concept by farming and fishing organisations. BII produced a policy paper in November 2023, A Model of Basic Income for Ireland. This shows how Ireland could afford to implement a basic income for all right now. Such a scheme would avoid campaigns by sectoral groups to gain benefits for themselves.
Why is the Government not taking this less divisive approach? – Yours, etc,
EILEEN BOYLE,
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Dublin 4.
