Working to build a just society where human rights are respected, human dignity is protected, human development is facilitated and the environment is respected and protected.

Social Justice Ireland challenges politicians and voters to abandon false assumptions and faulty social analysis

In its General Election Briefing Social Justice Ireland has argued that a new approach is required of politicians and voters if Ireland is to stop its pattern of crashing every thirty. Every thirty years or thereabouts since independence, Ireland has had major crises. In the 1920s, 1950s, 1980s and again in the current decade there have been major upheavals and on each occasion the very viability of the state was questioned according to Social Justice Ireland.

If we are to stop the recurring process of crashing then Ireland must abandon the false assumptions and faulty social analysis on which so much decision-making and policy development has been based for many years and, instead, follow a vision of Ireland that is both just and sustainable in the long run.

In its General Election Briefing Social Justice Ireland acknowledges that Ireland must pay its way and the State’s finances must be brought into balance. It argues that this will not happen under the current terms of the EU/IMF Bailout. It also argues that Ireland’s total tax-take (i.e. all taxes, charges and social insurance payments) must increase while keeping Ireland a low-tax country. However this increase must be achieved by broadening the tax base and making the tax system fairer by, for example, removing many tax-breaks that benefit only the better off.
 
The 10 principal initiatives Social Justice Ireland believes the next Government must take if Ireland is to find a just and viable pathway out of its present series of crises include:
  • Renegotiate the EU/IMF Bailout to achieve these four outcomes:
  • -   to reduce the interest rate being paid;
  • -   to lengthen the period by which the fiscal 3% target is met;
  • -   to divide the ‘hit’ in a fairer manner and
  • -   to generate jobs (cf, page 6 of Election Briefing).
  • Raise Ireland’s total tax-take in a fair and equitable manner while keeping Ireland a low-tax economy (i.e. below 35% of GDP which is the cut-off level provided by Eurostat for a low-tax economy)? This is the minimum required so that adequate services can be provided (cf. page 6 of Election Briefing).
  • Reverse the impact of policies since 1987 which have increased the income of the richest 10% and widened the gap between these and the rest of society (cf. page 4 of Election Briefing).
  • Address poverty by:
    • -   Increasing jobs
    • -   Providing programmes for unemployed people, especially the 140,000 long-term unemployed
    • -   Making tax credits refundable to address the working poor issue and
    • Maintain the value of social welfare rates (cf. page 4 of Election Briefing).
  • Regulate banks effectively and ensure credit is available for SMEs.
  • Develop a programme setting out how services and infrastructure in areas such as education, healthcare, social welfare, broadband, public transport and social housing are to be brought up to EU-average levels (cf. page 4 of Election Briefing).
  • Make all public governance transparent and accountable.
  • Increase Ireland’s Third World Aid budget to 0.7% of GNP by 2015 as already promised (cf. pages 5/6 of Election Briefing).
  • Develop social dialogue between government and various sectors of society (cf. page 6 of Election Briefing).
  • Introduce shadow national accounts as a means of ensuring policies are sustainable and the environment is protected (cf. page 6 of Election Briefing).