Budget 2014: Reactions

On 15 October, the Government presented its “Budget 2014” plans.

Full details of the Government’s package of tax increases and expenditure cuts are available here. (And this article in the Indo provides a snappy overview of the key cuts)

NGOs were quick to respond to the Budget, too. Here are some of their responses:

•   “Ireland’s aid budget has now been cut six years in a row, falling by a whopping 34.6% since 2008. The cuts announced in Budget 2014 mean that the world’s poorest people are making a disproportionate contribution to the Government’s austerity programme,” according to Dóchas’ statement.

• “This will have a significant impact on some of the world’s most disadvantaged people,” said Plan Ireland in this article in The Journal.

• “Just five months ago, the government committed to continuing to lead in the fight against hunger. However, this cut in funding raises questions as to just how committed they are,” said Gorta in a statement released on World Food Day.

• “Ireland pledged to increase its overseas aid so that it would reach the UN target of spending 0.7 per cent of national income on overseas aid” said Friends of Londiani in a statement.

• Focusing on a different aspect of the Budget, Oxfam Ireland said “Budget 2014 is a step in the right direction for a fairer global tax system.”
  The Dóchas statement also includes a welcome for the announced intention to clamp down on tax evasion, and for the increase in resources for the Garda Vetting Service.

• “It is not acceptable that Ireland fails to make progress towards the UN target for ODA. This is especially true while at the same time we are fully repaying bond-holders and financial institutions when their reckless gambling produced its inevitable result and their gambles failed,” said Social Justice Ireland in their detailed analysis of Budget 2014.

For his part, Minister Costello, quoted in the Irish Times, said:

“This Government has succeeded in broadly stabilising the budget. While the allocation announced today will reduce our spending on overseas assistance by some 3 per cent compared to last year, it still represents a very significant allocation for Ireland’s aid programme.”

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If you want to add your voice to the chorus of responses,
simply log onto this website, and send a message to your local TDs.

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Also read:

• “Can we afford overseas aid in times of crisis?”
• What people say to “Charity Begins At Home”
• Is Aid Working?
• Aid Myths Busted
• Keeping the Aid Promise
  
• How Irish NGOs are contributing to the Millennium Development Goals