Irish bailout has failed to deal with poverty and social exclusion

Social Justice Ireland says that the bailout programme in Ireland had a disproportionately negative impact on the poor.

The independent think-tank has published a report today which finds that there has been an EU-wide failure to deal with poverty and social exclusion.

The study also drew attention to taxation levels in the EU, and found that below-average poverty rates exist in countries with an above average tax-take.

Director of Social Justice Ireland, Dr Sean Healy, says Ireland's bailout put balance sheets before people.

Dr Healy said: "I think the critical failure with the Irish bailout was the failure to deal with the social impacts of the decisions that were being made from the very beginning.

"The social implications were not addressed during the years of the bailout, and in fact even in the subsequent years.

"We have had four regressive budgets in a row, they favour the better off over the poor."