Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A phrase to the effect that any free society or state should be judged on the basis of how it treats its most vulnerable members or lowest class has been used by many people down through the years. However, its meaning is as important today as it ever was. I think every Member of this House could agree that the Government needs to ensure that it protects the most vulnerable members of society. Again, there is commonality in respect of that statement. Irish society has changed rapidly over the past two to three decades and while there have always been vulnerable groups in our society, the increased diversity of our society means more and more groups and individuals need enhanced protection from State resources.

This Bill proposes to create that protection and supports closing the clear cracks in Irish society. This Government recently released One World, One Future, its new policy for international development, and reducing inequality is a key part of that policy. In fact, the policy paper states:

Evidence clearly shows that high levels of inequality, including gender inequality, can not only harm economic growth, but can also lead to people being trapped in poverty across generations, and in some cases social and political unrest.

It commits the Government to using its aid programme to "target those most excluded, deliberately addressing the inequalities these people face". Does this evidence not apply to Ireland? That is the question we are asking here tonight. Does the Government believe that this should only happen abroad in foreign countries? Inequality does not fix itself through market forces or by simple state hand outs. To reduce inequality, one has to tackle the root causes of it and this requires robust mechanisms whose essential element is ensuring that vulnerable groups are protected. Over 60 countries worldwide use equality budgeting to tackle inequality and poverty in their countries and surely it is time this State considered following suit.

Existing equality laws ban discrimination and unfair targeting of people based on their gender, civil status, family status, age, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and membership of the Traveller community, but we all come across cases of discrimination every day. Our Bill would add new and additional anti-discriminatory categories. It would prohibit discrimination against trade union members, Irish language speakers, former political prisoners who served their sentences before the Good Friday Agreement or were released under its terms and rural dwellers and on the grounds of socio-economic background.

This approach would ensure that all Departments and public bodies, when introducing new policy or budget measures, would complete equality impact assessment schemes and consultation on a statutory compulsory basis. The Bill would ensure the Government and public bodies exercised their functions in a way designed to reduce inequality and create the conditions for a more inclusive society. Who could be opposed to this? It should be a key priority of the Government at all levels.

Everyone is aware of the economic crisis we are going through. It is affecting families and individuals in every village and town in Ireland, but it affects some groups more than others. Some in the vulnerable groups I mentioned earlier are overwhelmed. The Government talks the talk of getting Ireland’s finances back on track, on improving our international standing and increasing trade, but we must ask for who. In the meantime the Government is going after the unemployed, single parents, the elderly, the sick, the disabled, the youth and those with special needs. Have those at the very top, the high income earners, the wealthy and the speculators felt the pinch? Do they shoulder their fair share of the weight? This has led to a significant rise in inequality and poverty in the State. Figures show the gap between the richest and poorest in Ireland increased by 25% in 2010, with the top 20% earning 5.5 times the income of those in the lowest 20%.

The percentage of people in Ireland living in consistent poverty increased in 2010, as did the percentage of children at risk of poverty which stands at 19.5%. I see this in my constituency of Dublin South-West. Large parts of my constituency have unemployment rates of more than 40% and the Government has no magic wand. Yesterday in the Dáil I raised the case of two constituents with life threatening illnesses who have been waiting for more than three years for housing adaptation grants. These simple grants would not cure them of these terrible illnesses, but it would massively improve their lives and the lives of their families. These people are not looking for millions, but for small amounts which would transform their quality of life. Under the Bill their rights would be supported.

It is time the Government wakes up to the needs of the Irish people. The average family and household in Ireland is drowning in debt yet every budget takes more and more from their disposable income. Families the length and breadth of the State deserve better. They deserve equality budgeting and it is time the Government started serving the needs of the majority of our citizens.

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