Most Irish people aren't aware of the existence of real poverty, according to a nun working with the poor in Dublin .
Sister Bernadette McMahon of the Vincentian Partnership was speaking at the publication of the pre-Budget submission from the Combat Poverty Agency yesterday. The agency says the Government must do more to tackle income inequality, which has increased by over a half in the past six years.
It proposes eight means by which the Government might do this. Their focus is on social welfare increases and taxation measures, which the agency says are key to tackling social inequality. The Government could not rely on economic growth or falling unemployment, the director of the agency, Ms Helen Johnston, said.
"Not everyone, despite perceptions, has benefited from the boom years," she said. "We recognise this is going to be a tight Budget, and the focus must be on those on lower incomes."
While consistent poverty - a measure of low income and basic deprivation - has fallen continuously since 1994 from 15.5 per cent of the population to 5.5 per cent today, relative poverty has increased by a half in the past six years.
In 2000, 22 per cent of the population had an income below 60 per cent of the average industrial wage, compared with 15.6 per cent in 1998.
One tax and seven social welfare changes are proposed. Among these are that welfare payments should be indexed in line with forecast wage growth of 7.5 per cent (€9-€11 per week); the lowest welfare payments should be increased by €5.10 to €150 per week ; child benefit should be increased by €31.80 per month and €15 million should be invested in a reformed school meals scheme. The welfare package is costed at just over just over €1 billion, taxation changes at €200 million.
Sister Bernadette said she sensed a growing disinclination by public opinion to accept that there were still people struggling to cope on inadequate incomes.
The main concern of every mother she met, in her work, was the good care of her children.
