THE Green Party has proposed the introduction of an £80 guaranteed basic income for all, payable to every adult in the State. The party's spokesman on finance and social welfare, Mr Dan Boyle, said yesterday this would be introduced on a phased basis and paid either directly or as a tax credit.
The plan would involve the integration of the tax and social welfare systems, the ending of all allowances except mortgage relief, the abolition of PRSI and the introduction of four tax bands between 10 and 50 per cent.
Mr Boyle agreed that the proposal was similar to that outlined in recent weeks by the Pathways to a Basic Income Document published by the Justice Commission of the Conference of Religious of Ireland. However, the Green Party was proposing in addition "a whole range of environmental taxes" - such as a tax on water pollution, energy use, and carbon content - which he estimated could bring in an extra £500 million a year in revenue.
Mr Trevor Sargent TD said the proposal was an alternative to "the dependency model" currently favoured by Democratic Left and the "workfare/jungle economy model" favoured by the Progressive Democrats.
He thought it "a sad reality" that "the most radical non-governmental organisation proposing a solution to the unemployment problem is the Catholic Church. Traditionally, you didn't look there if your were thinking of change," he said
Mr Pat Fitzpatrick, spokesman on enterprise and employment, said the party defines work in a much broader sense than is currently recognised. "The very important work of parenting, caring, and work in the social economy is not valued," he said. The party would not be happy "with a few thousand leaving the live register", which he described as "tiddlywinks" in terms of the overall picture.
