This week in the Dail we debated a simple but powerful motion on Human Rights Budgeting that would improve Ireland’s budgetary process by providing more information, specifically a social impact survey before budgets are published. Above is my speech – below is the motion.

“That Dáil Éireann acknowledges:

• that there are positive signs of economic recovery; and
• the social impact analysis and the pre-budget consultations carried out by the Department of Social Protection;

notes:

• that there are insufficient human rights aspects included in budgets which shows Ireland is not in-line with the United Nations (UN) Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee’s minimal core requirements;
• other than the Department of Social Protection, no other Government Department carries out social impact analysis and thus no adequate assessment of the impact of budgetary decisions;
• that the current process of forming budgets does not have evidence based discussions; and
• the lack of engagement by the Economic Management Council with the voluntary/community sector; and

calls for:

• agreement that the income gap between the basic social welfare rates and the income required for a minimally adequate standard of living (as measured by the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice Studies on minimum essential budgetary standards) should be reduced in each year’s Budget;
• the effects of budgetary impact on people be analysed by a social impact survey, before the publishing of budgets, which will be completed by a cross-Department body and recommend requirements as set out by the UN Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee’s minimal core requirements; and
• a guiding vision for Ireland which would ensure coherence at the core of public policy and a commitment to the common good.”