Households dependent on social welfare have a one-in-two risk of poverty, according the Combat Poverty Agency (CPA).
In its pre-budget submission briefing today, the CPA also warned that 22 per cent of the population lives below the 60 per cent of median income mark. The mark is the EU's measure of relative income poverty.
"It is vital that the opportunity presented by recent positive Exchequer returns is taken to improve the incomes of those on welfare and low pay and reduce the level of poverty in Ireland," Ms Helen Johnston, the Director of Combat Poverty, said at the launch.
The agency has proposed a €1,200 million tax package in its pre-budget submission. Of this, 54 per cent (€665 million) for welfare improvements, 20 per cent (€239 million) for universal child benefit and €305 million (26 per cent) for tax reductions.
Combat Poverty also proposes:
- Increasing personal social welfare rates by €12 per week.
- Increasing child benefit by €17.60 per month
- Increasing the Family Income Supplement by €35 per week.
- Increasing PAYE tax credit by €240 per annum.
"It must be an imperative that we prioritise the reduction of poverty in the budget," Ms Johnston concluded.
