An independent think tank has called on the Government to immediately provide additional welfare support for people.
It comes as a recent study found that one in every nine people in Ireland lives in poverty.
Social Justice Ireland (SJI) has said the Government need to raise core social welfare by a further €8 a week, to bring it from €12 to €20.
Read more: Ex-Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall sentenced to four years over Regency Hotel murder
The organisation has said that Budget 2023 widened the gap between those on “core welfare rates and those on €100,000 by €199”. As a result, they say the Government need to increase rates.
“Social Justice Ireland calls on Government in the forthcoming Social Welfare Bill to raise core social welfare rates by a further €8 a week, thus providing them with the basic increase of €20 a week that was required in Budget 2023 to simply maintain their current position,” a statement from the think tank said.
The latest report from SJI, Poverty Focus 2022, found that one in every nine people in Ireland lives on an income below the poverty line. This equates to 11.6% of the population, or 595,000 people.
Pensioners, children and workers are all living in poverty in Ireland. However, those with permanent illness or disability are at the highest risk.
The statement said: “People who are unable to work due to an illness or disability have the highest risk of poverty in Irish society with almost two in five people in this cohort living in poverty.
“This group is being left further behind, with poverty increasing among those unable to work due to an illness or disability despite a welcome reduction in the overall poverty rate in recent years.”
SJI is calling on the Government to increase those core social welfare payments, as well as acknowledge the ongoing poverty problem in Ireland.
They say targeted measures aimed at reducing poverty among the most vulnerable groups must be adopted by the Government. They also call on “in-depth social impact assessments” to be carried out prior to implementing proposed policy initiatives.
READ NEXT:
- Gardaí calling door to door in Creeslough as they aim to solve explosion mystery
- Woman found unconscious with mystery injuries in Mayo as gardaí seal off scene and launch investigation
- Wexford announced as latest location of €2m Lotto jackpot winner with search on for new millionaire
- Pro-IRA chanting at Dublin Airport condemned days after Ireland team video
- Joe Brolly continues to poke fun at the reaction to the Ireland women's football team singing a pro-IRA
