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Policy Issues Home

A wide range of material on many policy issues is available on this page.  This includes both material and commentary from Social Justice Ireland and material from other sources.  The policy issues are listed alphabetically in the menu on this page.

Budget 2019, Your PPN, Your Community and You

10th October 2018

Budget 2019 failed to grasp the nettle of real reform in areas such as housing, healthcare, education and so on.  In this short presentation, we bring you through the Highs and Lows of Budget 2019 and how it affects you, your PPN and your community.

Budget 2019 FAQs - What is the Budget and How does it affect you?

8th October 2018

Budget 2019 will be announced on Tuesday, 9th October, at 1pm.  But what is the Budget, how does it affect you and how can you have your say? Click on our Slideshow to find out.

Motion passed on Housing Emergency

5th October 2018

On Thursday, 4th October 2018, the Dáil passed a motion to declare housing and homelessness a national emergency.  The motion, following a demonstration by over 10,000 people and brought by Solidarity – People before Profit, called on Government to declare this emergency and to do something to increase the supply of affordable, sustainable homes.

Many of Ireland's richest pay lower tax rates than ordinary working people

29th September 2018

Some of Ireland's richest have a taxable income of less than the average industrial wage, with many paying income tax at a lower rate than the average taxpayer. What can government do in Budget 2019 to counter this highly unfair situation?

Social Housing Need: At least 110,000 households in need of sustainable social housing

28th September 2018

On Wednesday (26th September 2018), the Housing Agency published its now annual Summary of Housing Assessments for 2018. Figures gathered in June of this year show that 71,858 households were assessed as being in need of social housing, compared to 85,799 in 2017. However, while the apparent reduction of 13,941 has been heralded by Minister for State Damien English as “a positive sign of the success of the Rebuilding Ireland Actions Plan so far”, the truth is that the housing crisis is worsening as Government continues to look to the private sector for solutions.

For the good of the economy and for the good of society Ireland must reduce its inequality

28th September 2018

With 800,000 people in poverty, record numbers on healthcare waiting lists and more than 3,800 children homeless, Ireland is a profoundly unequal place. Inequality hurts the economy, leading to unstable economic growth and employment, higher debt, housing bubbles and increased homelessness. Substantial evidence has emerged in recent years to support the view that economies and societies perform better across a number of different metrics, from better health to lower crime rates, where there is less inequality.

Budget 2019 should invest in social infrastructure, rather than in tax cuts

24th September 2018

Ireland now has the resources to ensure that Budget 2019 addresses the key challenges facing Irish people. Adopting the measures Social Justice Ireland are proposing, each of which has been fully costed and is accompanied by a proposed funding method, would move Ireland in the direction of becoming a fairer, more equal society.

Most Budget 2019 tax proposals would favour rich at expense of lower income workers

18th September 2018

Just two of the income taxation proposals currently under consideration for Budget 2019 would produce fair outcomes: an increase in the personal tax credit for everyone or a reduction in the 0.5% and 2% USC rates. The impact of most income tax proposals currently being considered by government would give far greater benefit to people earning higher incomes than to lower income employees.

Joint Committee on Climate Action to further examine the Citizen’s Assembly Report How the State can make Ireland a leader in tackling Climate Change

12th September 2018

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The Joint Committee on Climate Action is meeting this morning to further discuss the Report of the Citizen’s Assembly with representatives from the Climate Change Advisory Council and the Environmental Pillar.

Over 12,800 local organisations are now members of Public Participation Networks

6th September 2018

Public Participation Networks (PPNs), made up of groups and organisations from the Environmental, Social Inclusion, and Community & Voluntary sectors, are influencing policy at a local and national level. And who knows what’s best for their communities better than local people themselves?

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