Government called on to tackle poverty gap in Budget

Combat Poverty Agency has called on the Government to tackle what it describes as growing income inequalities in the next budget. In its annual report published today, the agency's director Hugh Frazer said that the economic boom had not been as favourable to minority groups. He said that those who were in employment and better off, had gained more from our economic growth and those on the margins of society were not being provided for.

The report also said that children in Ireland were twice as likely to live in severe poverty than adults and called for a major increase in child support payments. The agency said that paid work was not an option for everyone and it was up to the government to give all citizens an adequate income.