With the budget only weeks away, the Government has been reminded by the Society of St Vincent de Paul of the uncomfortable fact that hundreds of thousands of citizens are still living in poverty.
In the land of the so-called Celtic Tiger, there is a tendency to assume that everyone has benefited from our newly-created wealth. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Although the levels of poverty that existed 10 years ago have been reduced dramatically, a hard core of unemployed families, single parents and old and disadvantaged people are struggling to get by.
The extent of the problem, at a time of strong economic growth, has been reflected in a three-fold increase in the number of calls made to the St Vincent de Paul for assistance. It spent €31 million on relieving distress last year. The voluntary organisation estimates that there are more than half-a-million people living in poverty and it has urged the Government to take specific actions in the coming budget to address the problem.
In particular, it has identified child support payments and social welfare benefits as key elements in meeting short-term needs. But, in the longer term, it has advocated changes in taxation, the provision of social housing and easier access to health and education services for those affected.
The organisation should be pushing an open door. A succession of reports has been published during the past year by such groups as Combat Poverty, the Economic and Social Research Institute, the National Economic and Social Council and the St Vincent de Paul itself drawing attention to child poverty and to the inadequacy of welfare payments in meeting the needs of certain families and individuals. In response, Minister for Social and Family Affairs Séamus Brennan announced a review of child poverty and spoke of providing additional supports for low-income families.
There is no doubt Mr Brennan means well. But a decision to provide the necessary financial resources will eventually fall to the Cabinet and to Minister for Finance Brian Cowen. Last year, in what was regarded as a socially caring Budget, not enough was done. Child dependant allowances remained frozen for the 11th year in succession. Welfare payments to lone parents and unemployed couples were inadequate. Funding for 250 extra social housing units was provided. And old people living alone on State pensions continued to experience high rates of consistent poverty and deprivation.
In the words of the vice-president of the St Vincent de Paul, Professor Monaghan, a lot of people are suffering and suffering very badly. That must stop.