132,800 people worse off than this time last year

4 Aug 2000

The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed has highlighted that the 132,000 people on live register who receive a payment, are now worse off than they were this time last year.

Noeleen Hartigan, Press Officer of the INOU said, " The value of the dole payment has been completely wiped out by inflation. The Taoiseach has admitted that welfare recipients have been the worse effected by the inflation situation. We are demanding that the Government introduced decent dole increases in the next Budget. These increases must compensate people for the inflation levels of this year, cover them for the increase in the cost of living next year, and give people looking for work a decent amount to live on.
If the Budget fails to close the poverty gap between those in work and those looking for work it will be a damning indictment of the Government's economic policies."

The INOU has welcomed the overall seasonally adjusted fall in Live Register figures for this month, but has highlighted the increase of 2,551 in Unemployment Benefit recipients. Unemployment Benefit is paid to those recently made redundant.

" In July over two and a half thousand workers lost their jobs and became reliant on state assistance. The closure of the Warner plant in Mayo is a stark reminder of the effects of unemployment on individuals, families and their communities."

ENDS
For further information contact:
Noeleen Hartigan, Press Officer 01 856 0088