2015 Budget  Favours Wealthy and High Earners

Dublin South West representative  Seán Crowe TD believe that the latest social impact assessment carried out by the Department of Social Protection confirms similar studies from the ESRI  which found that the lowest earners gained the smallest benefit from Budget 2015.

Crowe said that once again  the high earners, the wealthy elite  were looked after in the Government’s budget priorities.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The latest social impact assessment confirms what Sinn Féin feared after the announcement of Budget 2015, that there would be a complete absence of  any fairness from the  government when it came to spreading the financial burden.

“Probably the most damning element of this briefing is the confirmation that non-earning households may in fact feel another loss on the previous year.

“The Government’s budget will undoubtedly deepen the level of deprivation and widen the poverty gap across the state.

“The report goes on to suggests that the distributive impact is uneven with higher than average gains for the better off. The budget  gave a minuscule increase in child allowance but that does not take into account the hardship imposed by the  local Property Tax, water charges and the extensive cuts to social welfare payments.

“The government spin about this budget protecting the vulnerable and low income earners has been shredded and badly exposed. The poor and those struggling to make ends meet are carrying an unfair and onerous burden.

“The government could have narrowed the poverty gap in Budget 2015 but opted for looking after their wealthy friends.”