‘What’s Left Survey’ highlights Austerity’s Corrosive Effect

Responding to the annual ‘What’s Left Survey’ published by the Credit Unions this week Dublin South West local representative Seán Crowe TD said that the report highlights the impact of austerity and its corrosive effect on Irish society and its actual impact on on families and individuals.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The Credit Union ‘What’s Left Survey’ highlights in its report that 1.18 million adults have €50 or less left in their bank accounts after bills are paid each month, half of all adults are struggling to pay bills on time and growing numbers are cutting back on essentials such as food.

“It’s proof once again of the corrosive effect of austerity on Irish society and how it actually impacts on families and individuals

“It’s also clear from the survey, the impact this will inevitably have on social welfare recipients and their dependents.

“This survey should set off alarms in any government and is a clear signal that they need to do more to promote decent wages for those in employment.

“Schemes such as JobBridge and JobsPlus should be a positive measure but they appear to be impacting negatively on wages in the jobs market. Jobsbridge is being used by some unscrupulous employers to displace paid employment by making thousands of workers available to employers for free for 18 months at a time. And the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed have also expressed concerns that the JobsPlus supports are being tied to fairly low wages.

“The current PRSI system for which the  Minister Joan Burton is ultimately responsible for, incentivises employers to split jobs into part-time positions in order to avail of lower PRSI rates.

“This loophole needs to be addressed and tackled in the forthcoming budget.

“The Government  needs to ditch austerity, insulate those on low incomes and those with shrinking take home pay in  paid employment.

“The ‘Whats Left’ survey should be a stark warning to the Troika and Government but are they listening?”