Income Adequacy
Under its current Strategic Plan, OPEN has established a Pro-active Policy Programme with three themes, including the important area of income adequacy. In this part of the website, we highlight our work in this area.
Publications
Do the Poor Pay More?
In May 2005 OPEN published a pioneering piece of research on lone parents and debt entitled Do The Poor Pay More?. This research was well received both at home and abroad and has created much debate on a number of issues particularly in relation to over-indebtedness and financial exclusion.
Do the Poor Pay More? Media Coverage
Out of the Traps?
In 2005, OPEN and EAPN (Ireland) published Out of the Traps? - a report highlighting the persistence of poverty and unemployment traps. The findings highlight the fact that some people can not afford to take up a job.
Out of the Traps? Update - Impact of Budget 2006 on Making Work Pay
In early 2006, an update was published highlighting the impact of the Budget on making work pay.
Out of the Traps Media Coverage
Initiatives
End Child Poverty Coalition
OPEN is a member of the End Child Poverty Coalition, a partnership of seven national non-governmental organisations working together to end child poverty in Ireland.
The other members of the coalition are
Barnardos
Children's Rights Alliance
Focus Ireland
National Youth Council of Ireland
Pavee Point
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
On 30th January 2007, Camille Loftus, OPEN’s Head of Policy & Research, delivered the Coalition’s submission in response to Budget 2007, which stressed the importance of targeting child income support payments towards the families in greatest need.
For more information on the Coalition see www.endchildpoverty.ie
Consumer Panel of the Financial Regulator
OPEN Chief Executive Frances Byrne was re-appointed to the Consumer Panel of the Financial Regulator for a further two year term on 24th October 2006. The Panel is charged with a monitoring role on behalf of consumers, and consists of personal, professional and small business consumers of financial services, consumer advocates and activists, and experienced individuals from industry, and the banking, academic and media communities.
Click here for more information on the Consumer Panel; Financial Regulator Consumer Information is available at www.itsyourmoney.ie
Universal Bank Account Network (UBAN)
OPEN was funded by the Combat Poverty Agency to establish a Universal Bank Account Network to progress the issue of financial exclusion highlighted in OPEN's research, 'Do the Poor Pay More?'.
An inaugural meeting of eight interested organisations was held on 15th May 2006. The meeting was chaired by Professor Brian Nolan of the ESRI. Among the issues discussed were:
- The Money Laundering Guidelines in relation to opening bank accounts can present a barrier for many people on low incomes. For example, there is a requirement to present photo identification, such as a driver's license or passport, items many people on low incomes don't have. In addition, the requirement to present proof of address, generally in the form of a utility bill, can be problematic where all the household bills are in one person's name, or for people leaving institutional care etc.
- Bank accounts provide access to a range of other financial services, for example, money managment facilities, credit arrangments, and saving products, including SSIAs. Without a bank account, people on low incomes cannot access these services, meaning they can end up using high cost moneylenders.
- The issue of financial exclusion is becoming more critical, for example, social welfare payments are increasingly paid using electronic fund transfers, and wages are often paid directly into bank accounts.
This page was updated on 29th April, 2008