Income inequality continues to blight Irish society today, says Donegal TD Pearse Doherty.
The Sinn Fein TD was speaking following the release of Revenue figures revealing the gross income per individual in Ireland. Deputy Doherty has called for an increase in the minimum wage to €10.50 per hour, after data from Revenue showed that over half a million citizens earned less than €10,000 in 2016.
In contrast, the highest earning 10,000 citizens in the state took home €5.6bn between them.
The figures revealed by the Revenue Commissioners is the first time the gross income per individual rather than “taxpayer unit” have been published.
Deputy Doherty said Sinn Fein is proposing an increase to the minimum wage of almost €1 per hour in the next Budget to tackle the cost of living crisis in Ireland.
Deputy Doherty said: “As a result of many months of lobbying and engagement by Sinn Féin, the Revenue Commissioners have released figures revealing a shocking level of income inequality at the heart of Irish society.
“The top 10% of earners take home a third of all income, while the top 1% of earners now take home 11% of income.
“Overall the highest earning 10,000 citizens in the state took home €5.6bn between them. That means that on average 10,000 people took home more than half a million euro each in gross pay.
“But for a majority of Irish citizens, this is not a reality they recognise. Irish families face some of the highest living costs in the developed world.
“The cost of living day-to-day, burdened with extortionate childcare fees and rent, is too high for far too many people.
“This is made worse by the fact that Ireland still ranks among the worst OECD countries for rates of low pay.
“It is clear that income inequality across the state is rife, and for lower and middle income families, living in Ireland simply isn’t affordable.
“Sinn Féin’s Alternative Budget sets out to tackle this cost of living crisis, increasing incomes and lowering the burdens placed upon them.
“In the coming Budget Sinn Féin is proposing an increase in the minimum wage of almost €1 per hour, raising it to €10.50 per hour.
“Before the end of a full term of government, Sinn Féin would introduce a real living wage for every citizen.”