New research published by Social Justice Ireland reveals how Government polices have increased poverty levels in Ireland and have dramatically increased the gap between rich and poor, Independent candidate, Cllr Declan Bree, said this week.
“The report reveals what many of us already know. The top 10 per cent of Irish households receive almost a quarter (24.48%) of total disposable income. Disposable income is the amount of money households have to spend after they have received employment/pension income, paid all their taxes and received any welfare entitlements.
“When the income distribution is broken down we see that the bottom 10% of the population receive just 2.28% of all disposable income.
“The EU/IMF Bailout and the Government’s Four-Year Austerity Plan are continuing the process of supporting the super rich and are set to produce a dramatic increase in poverty and social exclusion.” he said.
“The so called Universal Social Charge is a new tax that specifically targets working people and a tax which is already creating significant difficulties for many families. In addition, those who lose their jobs through government mismanagement of the economy are faced with reduced welfare rates.
“Resources are being taken from the people of Ireland to bailout bankers, speculators and senior bondholders and to increase the incomes of the top 10%. This process of dispossessing working people by appropriating their resources to pay for activities they had no hand, act or part is unjust, unfair and immoral.” said Cllr Bree.