SDLP Ballyarnett councillor Rory Farrell
Speaking at last month’s meeting of Derry City & Strabane District Council, the Ballyarnett representative proposed that Council support the concept of a Universal Basic Income as a means to eradicate poverty.
Said Cllr Farrell: “The British government has done many things to reduce poverty over the years. It has introduced the NHS, free at the point of delivery.
“It has introduced free education. It has introduced the welfare state. It has introduced the minimum wage. It has introduced Child Benefit, free school meals and tax credits – but poverty still exists.
“Poverty is essentially a lack of money. A lack of money to put a roof over your head. A lack of money to put food on the table.
“A lack of money to buy clothes and heat your home.
“The simplest solution to poverty is to increase incomes.
“The British government has had many big ideas about fixing poverty and its next big idea should be a Universal Basic Income.”
He added: “Universal Basic Income in its purest form is an economic model where government provides a basic level of financial security, above the poverty line, to all citizens regardless of their circumstances, regardless of their employment status.
“It is universal and everyone receives it.
“There are many schools of thought and versions of Universal Basic Income, but one thing remains constant – it provides a safety net, above the poverty line, that no one can fall below.
“The current welfare safety net does not protect people from poverty.
“The current minimum wage does not protect people from poverty. The current state pension system does not protect people from poverty, but Universal Basic Income will protect people from poverty.
“This may be viewed as radical, it may be viewed as alien and it may be viewed as a socialist utopian ideal.
“But if we truly want to end poverty, if we truly want a more equal society then moving to a Universal Basic Income is something that should be actively pursued.”
Derry and Strabane Council has agreed to write to the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK Government requesting that they work collaboratively to introduce a Universal Basic Income scheme.
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