Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move:

"That Dáil Éireann:

acknowledges:

— that there are positive signs of economic recovery; and

— the social impact analysis and the pre-budget consultations carried out by the Department of Social Protection;

notes:

— that there are insufficient human rights aspects included in budgets which shows Ireland is not in-line with the United Nations (UN) Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee’s minimal core requirements;

— other than the Department of Social Protection, no other Government Department carries out social impact analysis and thus no adequate assessment of the impact of budgetary decisions;

— that the current process of forming budgets does not have evidence based discussions; and

— the lack of engagement by the Economic Management Council with the voluntary/community sector; and

calls for:

— agreement that the income gap between the basic social welfare rates and the income required for a minimally adequate standard of living (as measured by the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice Studies on minimum essential budgetary standards) should be reduced in each in each year’s budget;

— the effects of budgetary impact on people be analysed by a social impact survey, before the publishing of budgets, which will be completed by a cross-Department body and recommend requirements as set out by the UN Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee's minimal core requirements; and

— a guiding vision for Ireland which would ensure coherence at the core of public policy and a commitment to the common good.”

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