Immediate release: Friday, 4 December 2009
Issued by The Wheel
Representatives of over 50 charities and voluntary organisations met in Dublin today to propose alternatives to the Governments apparent expenditure-cutting-only approach to Budget 2010.
The gathering which was organised by The Wheel, Ireland’s largest representative body for charities, heard that charities are facing into highly uncertain times, and that widespread cuts that will severely limit their ability to serve the people who depend on their services.
Speaking at the meeting, The Wheel’s Director of Advocacy, Ivan Cooper said that charities represent those who will be most affected by the proposed cuts in public spending - namely people living in poverty, those with disabilities, the elderly and those at risk of social exclusion. “It is therefore vital that the community and voluntary sector offer Government a viable alternative to its apparant plan to dismantle parts of our social infrastructure,“ he added.
Mr Cooper presented an Integrated Five Point Social and Economic Recovery Plan - which he said is “necessary if vulnerable people are to be protected from paying the price of recovery”. The Plan, which was drawn up by The Wheel and other members of the Community and Voluntary Pillar of the social partnership process, calls for an increase in the tax-take by broadening and deepening the tax base.
Pointing to a recent survey that revealed that charities now play a bigger role than Government and religious institutions in shaping society’s values, Mr Cooper said it is more important than ever that the community and voluntary sector provides leadership and vision in charting the way forward. “Charities and voluntary organisations have an obligation to help preserve a positive vision for society contained in the national agreement Towards 2016 – which formed the basis of the social partnership process. To achieve this we will need to work with Government to ensure that the social progress we have made in the past decade is not undone,” said Mr Cooper.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Ivan Cooper, Director of Advocacy with The Wheel is available for interview. Contact Gert Ackermann on mobile: 086 176 9287, or email: gert@wheel.ie
ABOUT THE WHEEL:
The Wheel is a national support and representative body for community, voluntary and charitable organisations. We provide a wide range of information and support services, advice and training to individuals and organisations involved in community and voluntary activity. We are also a representative organisation promoting both our members’ and the wider sector’s interests. www.wheel.ie
//ENDS
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