Mixed reaction from Barnardos on today's Budget
Children’s charity Barnardos gave a mixed reaction to today’s Budget praising the Minister for Finance on steps he announced towards ending child poverty, but insisted the reality is that quality of services for children remain inadequate.
Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay said: “The €10 increase in child benefit is to be welcomed along with the changes in the Child Dependency Allowance but the fact is the Minister could have gone further to make a real difference to the lives of 100,000 children living in consistent poverty. “
"The changes to the Child Dependent Allowance will mean lone parent families, for example, being better off at a rate of €3 a week when we know that lone parents are one of the key groups likely to be caught in poverty traps.
"It should be remembered that this particular allowance, which is the key allowance targeted at children living in poverty, has remained unchanged since 1994. Likewise the increases in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance while welcome were very modest and will do little to impact on children facing the challenge of educational disadvantage.”
Mr Finlay also welcomed the changes to income tax announced by the Minister:
“The Minister has announced a number of measures which will benefit families on social welfare and low pay. We are happy that once again those on minimum wage are being kept out of the tax net and that the entry level for income tax stands at €17,600. Likewise the extension of the tax bands will insure those on the average industrial wage are not paying the higher rate of tax.
“Overall we would give this budget six out of ten with additional remark ‘could have done better’.”
