Community Platform Press Statement: 1^st October 2020

Budget 2021 must lead to a just and fair recovery and address the social inequality that existed before Coivid-19

A network of 30 national community and voluntary organisations has called on the Government to put the values of Community, Participation and Decency at the heart of Budget 2020 and use it to redress ongoing inequalities in our society that Covid-19 had highlighted and reinforced.

The Community Platform, a network of 30 national organisations working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality, has published Four Tests which it will use to assess Budget 2021. The Four Tests are:

Test 1: Will Budget 2021 redistribute income towards the poorest 20%?
Test 2: Will Budget 2021 strengthen access to quality employment?
Test 3: Will Budget 2021 restore and strengthen public services that are of particular importance to people on low income?
Test 4: Will the impact of Budget 2021 be assessed to ensure that all provisions reduce poverty and inequality?

The Platform has drawn on its members proposals for Budget 2021 to outline detailed measures the Government should implement if it is to achieve these Four Tests.

Paul Ginnell, spokesperson for the Community Platform, said that “Covid-19 has had a disproportionate impact on those in poverty and most disadvantaged and has reinforced existing inequalities. These inequalities include inadequate social welfare supports, high levels of low paid workers, low investment in public services which among other things has led to a homelessness crisis, a dysfunctional health system with high levels of health inequality, and many groups in our society being left behind”.

Mr Ginnell concluded “Budget 2021 must protect those already severely disadvantaged and take visible steps to address existing inequalities so that we can begin to arrive out of this crisis as a more just and fair society underpinned by values of Community, Participation and Decency”

Download the full Four Tests for Budget 2021 at www.communityplatform.ie

The Community Platform

c/o EAPN Ireland, 100 North King Street, Smithfield, Dublin 7, Ireland; Phone: +353 (0)1 8745737

Email: communityplatform@eapn.ie   Website: www.communityplatform.ie

The Community Platform is an alliance of 30 national networks and organisations in the community and voluntary sector working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality.