Poverty gap increasing, says CORI
The gap between the rich and the poor in Irish society is continuing to increase, according to the Conference of Religious in Ireland.
In a report published today, the organisation said more than 900,000 people, or 22% of the population, are currently living in poverty, most on less than €200-a-week.
Spokesman Fr Sean Healy said it was a sign that the resources available to the State were not being utilised to their fullest.
"We have to plan now while we have this window of opportunity," he said. "We have the resources that would build a society where everybody would have a place and where quality of life and people's well-being would be given equal priority to the economic growth."
