Fairness Not Delivered - Minister’s attack on young families is the cornerstone of the Supplementary Budget 2009

Ireland’s largest housing charity has expressed concern that housing commitments contained in the National Development Plan (2007 – 2013) will still not be met after today’s budget. The reduction of €140 in the social housing programme means there now appears little hope that additional housing will be provided for the 56,000 families on Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists. Respond! is very disappointed with these reductions considering the 30% increase in housing waiting lists and the rapidly increasing level of house repossession orders and evictions.

According to Ned Brennan, Respond! Spokesperson:
“We are very disappointed at today’s budget as the lower income families have been affected by many of the measures. The proposed reduction of €140 million in social housing is a short-sighted measure by the Minister. This will mean further losses in tax revenue for the government as well as further increases in unemployment in the construction sector. The reduction in payments under the rent supplement scheme could also force low income people onto the already bulging Local Authority Housing Waiting lists.”

Respond! also maintains that the halving of the childcare supplement by May and its abolishment at the end of this year will have a detrimental effect on lower income families. The housing charity argues that many people will be forced to leave the workforce as the cost of childcare will simply be too onerous to bear. In addition, Respond! claims that the 2% income levy on earnings will push lower income families back into poverty. They also argue that eliminating the December bonus for social welfare recipients will create additional hardship for thousands of Irish families next Christmas.

“This budget has simply created further suffering for the vulnerable in our society” added Brennan. “Many families in Irish society will find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. The net effect of this will be a dramatic increase in the number of people seeking social welfare assistance and Local Authority housing at a time when funding for the construction of social houses has been cut to the bone.” concluded Brennan.