The authors of a new report published today have claimed that austerity policies in Europe are not working.
The study, entitled ‘The Impact of the European Crisis’ was carried out by the Catholic development and social service organisation Caritas Europa.
It examines the impact of the economic downturn on Ireland, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
The report's authors claim that the report "challenges current official attempts to suggest that the worst of the economic crisis is over" and "highlights the extremely negative impact of austerity policies on the lives of vulnerable people".
Jorge Nuño-Mayer, secretary general of Caritas Europa: said: "I hope that this report will not only provide timely information on a worsening situation, but also serve as a tool for European and national decision makers in their attempts to identify more appropriate policy responses to deal with the crisis.
"Caritas Europa and its member organisations across Europe wish to work in partnership with the EU institutions and national governments to develop effective and socially just approaches to managing the crisis and promoting recovery in Europe."
Séan Healy, director of Social Justice Ireland, said: "This study shows that the implementation of austerity policies in countries in crisis in the EU has disproportionately impacted on people who are poor and vulnerable while failing to address the huge levels of unemployment all of these countries are experiencing.
"The study clearly sets out the scale of the challenge being faced by policy makers and makes proposals for action they should adopt immediately."