Social Justice Ireland (SJI) has claimed that EU Commissioner for
Economic and Monitory Affairs, Mr Olli Rehn has insulted Ireland’s poor
and vulnerable people by refusing to meet the Community and Voluntary
Pillar that represents these people in the social partnership process.
According to Seán Healy, Director of Social justice
Ireland, “By refusing to meet the Community and Voluntary Pillar, the
Commissioner has confirmed that the European Commission supports the
Government’s budgetary strategy which will damage the poor, the sick,
the vulnerable and the unemployed.”
“It is totally unacceptable that the European Commission supports an
approach which will see Ireland’s weakest groups take the major part of
the hit for the reckless actions of greedy bankers, incompetent
regulators and an inept government.”
In advance of the forthcoming budget that the Government has already
flagged as one that will bring a lot of pain, SJI has been campaigning
that in making difficult decisions, that everything should be on the
table.
SJI argue that those who are weak and poor will withstand the
worst of the Government’s budget adjustments.
Repeated statements from
Government spokespersons have focussed on reducing welfare rates,
bringing the working poor into the tax net and reducing the funding for
programmes providing services to people who are ill, old, caring or have
a disability.
This, according to SJI, means that the budget will attack the weak while allowing other groups to avoid the promised pain.
According to SJI, it is very symbolic that the Community and
Voluntary Pillar of social partners was excluded from the round of
meetings conducted by Commissioner Rehn and they go on to suggest that
it does augur well for Ireland’s poor and vulnerable people.
SIC: CIN/IE