‘Budget 2009 - Critical time to make the right choices for women’
Published: Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) urged the Government to place women at the centre of Budget 2009. Launching their Pre -Budget Submission today (Thursday 25th September 2008), the NWCI called on the Government to recognise the financial pressure being placed on women due to the increasing costs for family expenditure and to recognise the risk of poverty for older women.
' In the current economic downturn Budget 2009 is all about making choices, the Government have the opportunity to make the choice to protect women at risk of poverty and to protect the advances made in women's equality over recent years' stated Orla O'Connor Head of Policy, NWCI. 'Childcare costs, for example, have significantly increased since the start of 2008, with parents paying between 800-1000 per month for a childcare place and after school care costing the same price as full time place', she continued. 'This represents a second mortgage for families. If supports to pay for childcare are not put in place many women will be forced to give up employment. The NWCI is recommending that Government reduce childcare costs to parents by a minimum of 50% to all parents and 75% to parents on low income through a national subsidisation scheme' Ms O'Connor stated.
The NWCI is very aware of the current economic crisis and hence it is time for the Government to significantly redistribute resources in order to prioritise issues for women' she stated. Orla O'Connor, Head of Policy, NWCI. A particular priority for the NWCI is the position of older women, who need support now more than ever to ensure that they have a decent standard of living in their older years. The NWCI is recommending increases to the state pension and the introduction of 'retrospective justice' for older women who left employment to care for their families and find themselves now with no entitlement to a state pension.
Speaking on pensions, Ms O'Connor continued; 'Currently the Government spend €2.9 billion on tax reliefs for private pensions. If tax reliefs were provided only at the standard rate of tax, 20%, the Government could redistribute this money and increase state pensions by €50 per week. This is a clear example of how the Government can redistribute resources to protect the most vulnerable in our society.'
'Budget 2009 will show if the Government is willing to protect women who have contributed significantly to economic growth and now need to be supported so as not to bear the burden of these difficult economic times' she concluded.