The Conference of Religious of Ireland has called on the Government and social partners to develop a new social contract against exclusion. In its socio-economic review for 2001, which is released today, CORI's Justice Commission says that a socially excluded Ireland has developed side by side with the new Ireland of the Celtic Tiger.
The report says that this social exclusion is characterised by a widening gap between the rich and poor, as well as long-term unemployment, hidden rural poverty, homelessness and growing aggression and violence. The report suggests various ways of redressing this exclusion, such as raising all social welfare payments, taking the minimum wage out of the tax net, providing more social housing, and tackling educational disadvantage.
