Extra tax revenue not available to tackle poverty
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When the national income is redistributed much more in
favour of people living in poverty, then the Celtic
Tiger can be said to be truly looking after its cubs
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In the same week that Dublin Government Exchequer
figures showed a £500 million increase in tax revenue,
Combat Poverty's acting Director Helen Johnston called
for ``a stronger commitment to anti-poverty action''.
Johnston said, ``When the national income is
redistributed much more in favour of people living in
poverty, then the Celtic Tiger can be said to be truly
looking after its cubs''.
Writing in Combat Poverty's quarterly journal, Johnston
says ``the country's economic situation has never been
better. We can now make serious inroads to reduce
poverty''. She calls for concrete and progressive
targets in the five priority areas of the anti-poverty
strategy including income adequacy, educational
disadvantage, long term unemployment as well as urban
and rural poverty.
However, none of the increase of £500 million in tax
revenue can be used this year to eliminate poverty.
Instead it will be used to reduce the state's debt
burden or left in Government accounts for unforeseen
contingencies.
Combat Poverty have said that they were disappointed
with Charlie McCreevy's 1998 budget. It seems that
their hopes for the next year will be disappointed.
This government is not committed to using the benefits
of the Tiger economy to effectively tackle poverty.
Combat Poverty have to resign themselves to the fact
that this government is not prepared to redistribute
income or the benefits of economic growth.
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