A plan for the poor

Irish bishops asked the national government to adopt a strategic plan in support of the weaker brackets and to encourage voluntary income cuts to address the world economic crisis. The Plan is called: “On the wake of the Celtic tiger: poverty in contemporary Ireland”. (“Celtic tiger” refers to the Country recent years’ rapidly developing economy) Some figures shed light on the urgent question of poverty in Ireland: in 2007 the Country’s major charity, the Society of Saint Vincent, allocated 43 million euros for the outcast, in 2008 donations amounted to 55 million. Today in Ireland one out of every nine children, 111,000 all together, starve even a day running or live in cold homes since their parents earn less than 60% of the national mean income and cannot afford heating nor food. In the past few years Ireland went from ranking first among Europe’s economically developed countries to second-last in the euro-zone for its economic performance. Silvia Guazzetti interviewed for SirEurope the President of the Commission for Justice and Social Affairs of Ireland’s Bishops Conference, bishop Raymond Field, who signed the document. To the light of these facts, do you believe the government is acting correctly?“I think the government is doing its best in very difficult circumstances. Our concern is that heavy taxations to recover the economy will not go to the detriment of the poor. It’s important that no cuts are made in the fields of education and social work. We have been overcome by globalization, and unless globalization is aimed at the common good, the strongest ones survive”.The document points out that the poverty was widespread also in the years of the economy boom. The risk is: will they continue paying the highest price for this crisis? “During the years of the Celtic tiger a lot of people enjoyed a state of wealth that wasn’t redistributed to include also the poor. The industrial and financial sectors made profits while consumerism and squandering surged. Today we realize that we could have renounced many things and are that we’re paying the price for useless goods. Today the poor include those people who are unable to make the most of their lives and their assets. However there are also the nomads, while some people fall in a state of poverty that is triggered by a moment of crisis, by mental illness or sudden job loss”. But if some people are the cause of their own poverty, isn’t there a risk that the welfare system will nourish long-lasting welfarism? “It’s important to implement measures preventing individuals to take advantage from welfare state subsidies, but it’s equally important to accept that there will always be poor people, people who are unable to look after themselves. This is why it’s important for there to be a welfare system that can help them”. You asked for voluntary income cuts, a revision of minimum income threshold to access public healthcare, an assistance plan for those without central heating, higher subsidies for poor parents who can’t afford to pay for their children’s kindergartens… “ The Saint Vincent Society witnessed a dramatic increase in aid requests. In 2008 figures amounted to 30% throughout Ireland and 40% in the Dublin area. Many of those who used to be the major contributors are now in the situation of having to ask”. Do you see positive aspects in this moment of crisis? “I do. I think we are realizing of how vulnerable we are, since the crisis arrives unexpectedly, that we are interdependent and we need the community we belong to. We are realizing that materialism cannot satisfy our deepest needs. At Sydney’s WYD I met many young people who long for a spiritual dimension that would give authentic meaning to their lives. They are aware that salary and consumption goods don’t bring happiness. I also think that this crisis could be an opportunity to reconsider the economic system and that instead of leaving it in the hands of unrestrained globalization, it ought to focus on the common good. This is why we proposed the launch of ‘a national development plan for individuals’ that will ensure a minimum standard of living and access to education and subsidies, focusing on the development of human infrastructures within our communities”.