This call comes in the wake of the controversial Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) paper on the Cost of Working in Ireland which has been withdrawn following controversy over its methodology and the report by the Mandate Trade Union earlier in the month which provided evidence of an increase in precarious work leading to debt and poverty among low paid workers.
EAPN Ireland Director
“The recent bizarre tale of the ESRI “paper than wasn’t” is a dangerous distraction from the very serious debate on how to ensure adequate income and remove the barriers to work.
“It is dangerous because it feeds the myth that people are unwilling to take up employment.
“The problem is not unwillingness to work but lack of jobs. A recent Oireachtas Committee report showed that there were 54 job seekers for every vacancy. The controversial working paper points to the costs of taking up work on the basis on figures from 2004/2005. However, in 2004/5, we had nearly full employment, one of the highest rates in
“The paper does highlight the results of lack of investment in social and other services in good economic times and bad. Most of the costs of taking up work relate to low spending on health, child-care, transport and other services as well as low cut-off points for many allowances such as rent allowances.”
Mr Hanan continued ‘The Government has signed up to the active inclusion strategy at EU level which promotes a balanced approach to adequate income for a decent life, access to quality services and an inclusive approach to employment. We need to keep this balance in our debate’.
