This May Day, the first of the new millennium, leaves us in a country which, as well as amassing great wealth, is also quickly acquiring the worst habits of the developed world: namely, leaving a significant proportion of its people in poverty. As well as a third of our people still struggling to survive on or below the 'poverty line', the gap between those on high incomes and those in poverty continues to grow - despite all the rhetoric. Medical services for people who cannot afford the 'luxury' of private treatment are dismally inadequate. Our homeless continue to grow in number and those on low-incomes are finding it increasingly difficult to keep a roof over their heads. Speaking on the Ireland we will have after the new 'Partnership Deal' has run its course, Sean Healy, of the Justice Office of CORI, commented:

Despite the so called abundance of jobs, many, both in and out of work, are still forced to depend on some form of welfare payment - a payment not designed with people's needs in mind but rather one that gives the message that those without power and money in society are "deservedly less equal human beings and will be treated as such". Despite all the rhetoric about "inclusion" so much of the experiences of those on low-income give out this simple message - "whatever you do - don't be poor".

It's not as if those of us forced to live on the margins of society did not know these things. The daily rituals of being poor or on low-income are something we are forced to take for granted. The difference now is that it would appear to be an admission of failure to acknowledge it publicly. The difference, now that there is no excuse for not redistributing the resources that have become available in abundance, is that those that are poor must be seen as inadequate; while those that divide the nation's wealth, making sure the rich get richer, are seen as "reasonable". Despite the growing evidence of widespread corruption whose only result so far has been to generate more wealth for some lawyers. Despite the fact that we now have the option to genuinely take the steps needed to create a more just and a more equal society. If not for the simple truth that it would apparently threaten the guaranteed right to privilege of the rich if we were to redistribute our resources towards those in need.

On May Day, we give notice that these lies will eventually prove unsustainable. Poverty in our country is maintained because rather than using our resources to create a just and compassionate society where everyone has the freedom to participate equally - those that decide the type of society we have make sure we will not choose equality, and that justice will be only for the rich who can afford to buy and sell it.

We give notice that other decisions could be made. That a different type of society could be ours. We are demanding that these decisions BE made and that they reflect the will of the people and express the "common good".

We want, and a majority of the Irish people want, a society where Welfare, Justice and Solidarity become the values by which we live. Not an increasingly divided society.