Ignoring poverty could lead to serious problems according to EU Commissioner.

POVERTY is something we cannot afford, according to the European Commissioner for employment, social affairs and inclusion. In a report in the Irish Examiner Ann Cahill points out that the usual arguments for reducing poverty are social ones, but the Commissioner, Laszlo Andor, is an economist who has worked for organisations from trade unions to the World Bank and uses a different context. The Commissioner points out that a problem in one EU country can have serious affects for another. He warns of social instability and says that like problems in the world of finance, social problems can spread across borders too. Social Justice Ireland welcomes this confirmation of its basic position by a European Commissioner.  It is not acceptable that the Heads of Government of EU countries failed to set a poverty target during their Council meeting on March 25/6, 2010.
Social Justice Ireland's response to the Council's conclusions can be accessed here.
The full Irish Examiner article can be read here.