Govt 'could have done more for unemployed'
The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU) is disappointed that the lowest rate of Social Welfare has increased by €12 in the 2008 Budget.
According to the INOU, figures published recently highlighted the importance of a minimum €18 increase if Ireland is to dramatically tackle poverty levels.
“The recently published EU survey on living conditions shows that almost half of unemployed individuals are at risk of poverty," said Bríd O’Brien, INOU senior policy officer.
"The Government had an opportunity in this budget to significantly tackle the numbers of people at risk of poverty, but unfortunately they haven’t taken it."
The INOU is disappointed that the Government has increased the Qualified Adult Allowance by only €8 and that the limit for the retention of secondary benefits has not been increased.
The INOU is also disappointed that the Government has not delivered on important Welfare to Work measures such as reducing the eligibility periods for the Back to Work and Back to Work Enterprise Allowances, failing to build on last year’s increases in daily disregards for people working and signing-on and failing to provide for recruitment to the Job Initiative programme.
The INOU welcomes the increase in the Qualified Child Allowance, the extension of the Fuel Allowance payment by an extra week and the increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
"Although we would have liked to have seen an increase in the Fuel Allowance payment, we welcome the fact that it has been extended by an extra week," said Ms O'Brien.
