Their analysis and proposals are a refreshing alternative to the economic consensus in Leinster House and coincide to a large degree with Republican Sinn Féin’s SAOL NUA – A New Way of Life document.

Slamming the Leinster House politicians for their decisions in the past 20 years, CORI maintains that they have led to the emergence of a two-tier society in the 26 counties.

“The conspicuous consumption of some is in stark contrast to those who have to hide basic food from their children so that there will be sufficient to last the week.”

Like the US and other western societies the 26-County State has reached a point “where we have so structured ourselves that the better off need never encounter those who are poor.”

The key problem is the widening gap between the poor and the better off. The resulting polarisation creates a deeply divided society which is “inherently unstable”. Pointing out some facts CORI states that

• 34% of people in the 26 Counties have income below the poverty line in1997, an increase of 4% on the figure in 1987;
• unemployment fell by just 400 in the past year, and there are now 14,000 more people jobless than in 1990;
• of the employed, 151,400 have part-time jobs and 73% of these part-time workers are women;
• 33,000 families are on the waiting list for housing, a substantial increase since 1992;
• there is a two-tier healthcare system;
• methods of school funding place those in poor areas at a clear disadvantage;
• rural Ireland’s infrastructure is being allowed to deteriorate – schools, roads, post offices, railways, healthcare facilities;
• direct farm subsidies in 1996 was over £6,000 per person employed in farming but this figure hides the fact that most of this agricultural support is going to a relatively small minority of large farmers.

  ALTERNATIVE VISION

  CORI believes that an alternative vision of Ireland should guide policy and decision-making which would see Ireland “populated by substantial numbers of vibrant communities in which
  1. everyone
     • has sufficient income to live life with basic dignity, has meaningful work and adequate accommodation,
     • has the right to participate in developing self, the community and the wider society,
     • participates in shaping the decisions that effect him/her,
     • is respected for the fact that she/he is a person and not on the basis of economic or social power,
     • has real choice on whether to stay in rural Ireland or leave;
  2. Policies are developed in an integrated interdisciplinary way and the urban/rural divide is reduced;
  3. The environment is respected and protected;
  4. Ireland plays a significant part in working to eliminate exclusion and divisions throughout the world.

  CORI maintains that it should be a priority for the new 26-County administration to eliminate poverty in five years and provide meaningful work for all who seek it within the same period of time.

  Under this proposal for a basic income for all (see SAOIRSE May 1997) 75-80% of the people would be better off than they are now while the other 20-25% would be less well off than at present. The fundamental issue remains that people are poor because they do not have money and this needs to be tackled in a direct manner.
  • CORI can be contacted at Milltown Park, Dublin 6. Tel. Dublin 269 7799.
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