EAPN 2010 Seminar 29th May 2009 Paul Ginnell – EAPN Ireland Irish National Anti-Poverty Strategies the social/ Economic Crisis and 2010 EAPN 2010 Seminar - Brussels 29th May 09

Two National Action Plans for Social Inclusion 1. National Focus- Started in 1997. Current Plan 2007-2016 – overall aim ‘reduce consistent poverty to between 2% and 4% by 2012, with the aim of eliminating it by 2016’ 12 High level targets over 100 lower priority targets 2. OMC Social Inclusion 4 Objectives Linked to National Plan

Infrastructure Institutions Cabinet Committee – Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Chairs Senior Officials Group on Social Inclusion New Government Division Office for Social Inclusion Combat Poverty Agency Local Infrastructure EAPN 2010 Seminar - Brussels 29th May 09

Monitoring and Implementation Infrastructure Monitoring and Implementation Social Inclusion Forum Annual Social Inclusion Reports Poverty Impact Assessment Social Partnership EAPN 2010 Seminar - Brussels 29th May 09

Strengths Infrastructrure in place Targets Social Inclusion Forum Minimum Income targets Overall Poverty levels reducing Social Inclusion Forum

Weaknesses Impact of 2 NAP Incl. processes Invisibility of OMC Consultation +/- Some targets unmet – no relative poverty target Poverty levels for some groups – unemployed, lone parent family, children etc. Poverty Impact Assessment Political Commitment- Economic v’s social No real vision

Social and Economic Crisis Unemployment Irish Government Budget Deficit Projections from April 2009 Spending - €65 billion income - €34 billion Social welfare - €21 billion and growing Mar 08 Mar 09 EU 27 7.2% 8.9% Ireland 5.2% 10.6% Lithuania 4.3% 15.5% Latvia 6.1% 16.1% Spain 9.5 17.4% Source: Eurostat, 30 April 2009

Impact on Poverty and Social Inclusion Cover to dismantle equality/anti-poverty/anti-racism/human rights infrastructure Cuts in services – especially health and education Threat to social welfare levels – reductions in cover for some groups Increased tax burden on low paid Proposed changes in work permit system form non EU migrants However Little impact on NRSPSI 2008-2010 Officially targets have not changed

EAPN 2010 Submissions Reviewing current strategies including targets and data minimum income distribution of wealth child poverty access to services poverty social exclusion and equality human rights social solidarity pact Local engagement political education political leadership and accountability

2010 EAPN Ireland Priorities and Legacies (provisional) Protecting existing social welfare levels – carrying out comparative research and developing arguments Creating public awareness of poverty - addressing stigma and involving communities Participation – consultation: Review of national Social Inclusion Forum Communicating benefits of more equal and fair society

2010 EU level legacies poverty reduction targets minimum social standards

Challenges of Crisis Reality of less Government resources Crisis used to lower social expectations Protecting the most vulnerable Not just in word Active Inclusion Understanding and not repeating mistakes of the past