Dublin: Recovery Budget Not Committed To The Socially Deprived: SVP: *Updated

*LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal's government is prolonging into 2015 the main features of its unpopular austerity program, resisting the temptation to sweeten its policies in what will be an election year.

Portugal is still fighting to restore its fiscal health after needing a 78 billion euro ($98 billion) international rescue in 2011, when it almost went bankrupt amid a debt crisis that gripped countries sharing the euro currency. Though one of the eurozone's smallest economies, Portugal's recovery is seen as important to maintain investor confidence in the 18-nation bloc.
The three-year bailout program, which demanded deep spending cuts, higher taxes and the scrapping of cherished labor entitlements, ended in May.
But the center-right government says its 2015 state budget proposal, being announced Wednesday, must keep driving down the country's debt load.

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The St Vincent de Paul Society has said that today's Budget does not recoup what has been taken away in recent austerity budgets.

They welcomed the benefits announced in the budget today, in particular the increase in Child Benefit, and the focus on job creation

The Society said: "But it doesn't go anywhere near restoring what has been taken away. Many on low paid will be only marginally better off after today's budget."

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They also welcomed the increased investment in Social Housing; the part restoration of the Christmas bonus and the extension of the €100 water charge allowance for those in receipt of fuel allowance.

They said: "But many of the benefits will be offset by charges already in place such as water and property taxes.

"There remains around half a million unemployed and lone parents who will continue to struggle and will continue to come to SVP for help."

SVP say they also sought the extension of the home improvement scheme to the private rental sector, but said they cannot give today's announcement "an unqualified welcome" as it lacks any reference to security of tenure for existing tenants.

They said: "There are also still many who live in isolation who also need support but there is no mention of the restoration of community projects that have been discontinued over recent years.

"While this budget has been described by Government as the first step in major a road to recovery, we believe that it is not a recovery that is fully committed to many who are socially deprived."
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