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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.

Progress on Carbon Tax is welcome

4th November 2019

Social Justice Ireland welcomes the Budget 2020 decision to increase the carbon tax from €20 per tonne to €26 per tonne. This is the first significant increase in the tax since it was introduced almost one decade ago, and we also welcome the commitment to ringfence the revenue to deal with the transition to a more carbon neutral economy.

Automatic Enrolment is doubling down on a failing system

31st October 2019

As the DEASP announces some key design features of its proposed Automatic Enrolment pension scheme, our analysis suggests that AE represents poor value for money, with minimal benefit to the State unless the long-term plan is to run down the value of the State pension and force people to rely on their private savings.

Help to Buy is merely subsidised inflation

30th October 2019

Extending the Help to Buy Scheme for an additional two years subsidises the better off at the expense of providing sustainable and affordable homes for those in most need.

Ireland continues to lag on SDG progress after Budget 2020

28th October 2019

The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals aim to leave no one behind. With minimal progress on these in recent years, Budget 2020 reinforces Ireland's position as a laggard.

Budget 2020 does little to improve ODA situation

25th October 2019

While welcoming the small increase in Overseas Development Assistance in Budget 2020, Social Justice Ireland is disappointed that this will not result in any significant improvement in Ireland’s ODA in terms of national income. We call on government to develop and publish a roadmap to reach the UN-agreed target.

Income Gains and Effective Tax Rates after Budget 2020

23rd October 2019

What income changes arose from the tax and benefit measures taken in Budget 2020? What are the effective tax rates now for different levels of income, and how do they compare with effective rates over time? Click here to see.

The tax and benefit impacts of this Government's 4 Budgets

21st October 2019

Budget 2020 marks the fourth Budget of the current Government. Our analysis tracks the cumulative impact of changes to income taxation and welfare following all four of this Government’s Budgets.

How will Budget 2020 affect poverty rates?

17th October 2019

Today is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. What did last week's Budget do to help eradicate poverty?

€400,000 per day and no homes to go to

16th October 2019

€147 million was spent on Emergency Accommodation for homeless peopled in 2018.  A mere fraction of this (less than €10 million) was spent on prevention.  In allocating €166m between emergency accommodation and homelessness prevention in Budget 2020, Government refused to change a policy that simply isn't working and, instead, look for real solutions.  

We have a Podcast!

15th October 2019

You wait all year for Social Justice Ireland to release a podcast and two come along in one week!  Our new podcast, Social Justice Matters, is now live on our website and on Spotify. Following the announcement of Budget 2020 last week, we have an interview with our CEO, Dr. Seán Healy, on an overview of Budget 2020 and a live recording of our Budget 2020 Analysis and Critique seminar recorded in Buswells Hotel less than 24 hours after the announcement of the Budget itself. Tune in!! 

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