On 17 October, UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, around 50 NGOs gathered in Dublin to critically discuss the impact of this year’s budget on some of Ireland’s most vulnerable people, and to consider how fairer budget decisions could be made in the future. This event was facilitated by PILA and the Equality Budgeting Campaign.
Participants called for the introduction of human rights and equality budgeting. Equality budgeting is an approach to economic policy-making and planning that places equality at the centre of decisions concerning public expenditure and income, through equality audits and impact assessments. Human rights budgeting means recognising that Ireland’s existing human rights commitments include decision-making on budgets. It involves identifying the minimum standards needed to live in dignity in Ireland and treating this as a “red line” below which no one should be allowed to fall.
Participating NGOs completed a survey in advance of the event gauging their satisfaction levels with the current budgetary decision-making process. 95% of respondents supported equality proofing of all cuts and tax increases. 92% called for increased involvement of civil society in the budgetary process. 79% expressed support for incorporation of minimum human rights standards into the budget process.
97% of participants felt the current approach is not conducive to optimal decision-making, with many expressing frustration at Ireland’s opaque and secretive budgetary process. During the discussion forum, participants stressed the need for civil society to build alliances and combat the government’s current “divide and conquer” approach. This results in NGOs defending only their own interests in the budget and causes disproportionate cuts for some of the most vulnerable people in Ireland.
A number of participating NGOs were highly critical of the proposed cut to Job Seekers Allowance for claimants aged under 25. Pavee Point, which advocates on behalf of Travellers and Roma, stressed that their members will be disproportionately affected given the high rates of unemployment among these groups. Ruhama, which represents women at risk of trafficking and prostitution, said that their clients will now have greater difficulty in securing deposits for housing and will be at greater risk of homelessness. There was also discussion of the proposed increase in prescription charges, reduced thresholds for medical cards and changes to the One Parent Family Tax Credit.
Participants highlighted the closed and “elite” nature of Irish budgetary decision-making, with little systematic input from civil society or affected individuals. Disability representative groups claimed that the government’s budget proposals failed, in particular, to comprehend the reality of living with a disability. Participants noted that while unemployment affects 95% of intellectually disabled people and over 80% of Travellers, the government’s job strategy did not contain any measures to address the needs of either of these groups.
Click here to read FLAC’s publication, “Respecting Rights in a Recession”
Click here to find out more about the Equality Budgeting Campaign.