As usual CORI have an impressive wish list for tomorrow's budget backed up with a battery of statistics and calculations. Fr Seán Healy offers a useful summary of the CORI position in this morning's Irish Times which, in essence, is that the Irish Exchequer is in a very healthy position and the resources available should be used to "build a fairer society by eliminating the current infrastructure and social provision deficits". Two key proposals in respect of taxation are to have refundable tax credits and to make tax breaks available at the standard rate only.
This would make for a fairer tax system and CORI make ethically grounded arguments for fairness and social justice more effectively than any other organisation. It's also striking that the same slate of policies could be used to create a more efficient and dynamic economy as well. Better social provision has all sorts of positive benefits to society as a whole and to the economy. It reduces the costs associated with crime and deprivation. If more people are productive in a broad sense that also creates the conditions where people will find opportunities to find rewards for hard work and enterprise.
There shouldn't have to be a trade off between equity and efficiency - certainly not if we look beyond a narrowly focused definition of efficiency which reduces everything to cost competitiveness. A more muscular, assertive and confident social democracy should be able to put this across. CORI do a fine job but the Labour Party ought to be the key players in making the connection between economic dynamism and social justice.
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