WHAT IS POVERTY AND WHAT ARE ITS CAUSES IN IRELAND? 15 CONSIDER NEW PERSPECTIVES
We have seen evidence pointing to some pretty high levels of poverty in Ireland, but why is this happening? Not everyone agrees on this, nor on how to tackle it. Here are some perspectives from different groups in Irish politics and society:
Trade unions represent workers and argue that low wages cause poverty even among those who work full time. They argue for a ‘living wage’ of €11.70 per hour. For unions, a major cause of poverty is that employers simply do not pay enough for certain jobs, creating a group called ‘the working poor’.
‘Poverty pay undermines the living standards of the workers and families concerned – and it undermines the economy’.
– Jimmy Kelly, Unite Trade Union
NGOs and charities that work to tackle poverty in Ireland lobby (put pressure on) government to spend more on social services and welfare payments. They argue against cutting taxes and instead want the money spent on public services that help the poor.
‘The legitimate expectations of citizens are not being met. This is most obvious in areas such as housing and homelessness, a two-tier health care system, an ongoing failure to provide rural broadband and high levels of poverty and social exclusion, especially among children.’
