Social Justice Ireland wants social welfare rates to increase by 25 euro a week in the budget.
Photo via PixabayIt says without the social welfare system just over one-third of the Irish population would have been living in poverty last year.
Social Justice Ireland Research and Policy Analyst Susanne Rogers says the amount given last year was insufficient.
'Everyone in their pre budget asks last year had asked for an increase of €20 we got €12, so it went from €2.08 to €2.20, that wasn't enough so again we're really just trying to play catch up all of the time so really anybody who is on that rate of €220 is actually worse off than they were a couple of years ago and they weren't in a good position a couple of years ago.'
