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Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion – Irish Experience
Gerry ManganDirectorSocial Inclusion DivisionDepartment-Social, Family AffairsIreland
Overview
Nature and extent of poverty and inequality Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion -the
challenges Strategic and “Life Cycle” Approaches National Action Plans and implementation
Poverty – Definition for Ireland
“People are living in poverty if their income and resources (material, cultural and social) are so inadequate as to preclude them from having a standard of living which is regarded as acceptable by Irish society generally. As a result of inadequate income and resources people may be excluded and marginalised from participating in activities which are considered the norm for other people in society.”
,
Poverty - Measurement
Basic Poverty: Irish measure - consistent poverty
OECD measure - material deprivation
At Risk of Poverty: income below threshold – 60% of average median income,
Depth of Poverty: how far are incomes below threshold
Persistence of poverty: how long are people in poverty
Who are the vulnerable?
Children and families – lone parents, larger families Working age – unemployed, youth, people
with disabilities, addictions, immigrants, ethnic minorities, travellers, ex prisoners
Older persons – living alone, and/or frail, dependent, requiring care from family carers,
or in institutions
Tackling Poverty or “Poverties”
Poverty is multi-faceted and combating itrequires a multi-policy approach e.g. Employment & employment supports, Income supports Access to services: education, health, care
(for children, elderly, people with disabilities) housing, transport, sports and culture etc
Housing and Environmental supports
Challenge in 1980s – still the case?
“This poverty stemming from the years of economic crisis is like a cancer growing away at our society…..How is it possible to imagine that we have (such high) social protection budgets …..and still we have so many poor people? This is because the poverty of today slips through the meshes of the social protection net….. The fact is this costly system is not doing its task” (Jacques Delors – EU Commission President in 1980s)
Social Partnership – Consultation and Engagement
Social Partners: 4 pillars – employers, trade unions, farmers, Community and Voluntary
Social Partnership: works to get agreement and consensus through negotiations on pay, employment and social provision to meet current challenges
Outcome: National agreements on these on which National Action Plan on inclusion is based
Social partners then directly involved in the monitoring and evaluation of implementation
Strategies to meet challenges
Key features of strategies: Analysis of social and economic trends Identify and document challenges, both statistically and through
consultation with social partners and other stakeholders Set clear long term goals and objectives Set more short term, time bound targets for meeting goals Clear specific commitments to measures to meet objectives Work to achieve effective implementation, especially through
cooperation across Government at national and local levels to achieve better outcomes through more integration
Indicators to measure progress in achieving intended outcomes Monitoring & evaluation of implementation, and report annually
Evolution of National Anti-Poverty Strategies in Ireland
National Anti-Poverty strategy (NAPS) - Ireland’s response to 1995 UN Social Summit in Copenhagen on social development
“Sharing in Progress” first 10 year strategic plan for 1997- 2007, product of wide public consultation and
collaboration of Departments, agencies within Government Similar approach for preparation of more ambitious revised plan, Building an Inclusive Society for 2002 -2007 National Action Plan for Social Inclusion: 2007-2016 +
specific Chapter on social inclusion in National Development Plan (NDP), based on wider social partnership agreement Towards 2016
EU Open Method of Coordination: National Action Plans -2001 to present
National Strategies - Current
Social Inclusion
NationalDevelopment
Plan2007-2013
National Action Plan for Social
Inclusion 2007-2016
North Southco-operation
Social Partnership
Towards 2016
EUOMC
Lifecycle approach in strategies
Social Partners agreed a new framework in Towards 2016 based on each stage of the life cycle:
– Childhood– People of Working Age– Older People, and, in addition,– People With Disabilities– Communitiesto address key social challenges.
Main purpose: to design and coordinate public services around individuals and their requirements, rather than administrative boundaries
Aims of Lifecycle Approach
Assists in meeting strategic objectives through More coordinated, holistic approach to policy and
more emphasis on individual needs Facilitating and promoting a more “joined up”
approach to implementation/delivery Clearer basis for monitoring and for evaluation, and
streamlined reporting on progress; Facilitates consultation and communication with
social partners and other stakeholders.
Main outcomes to be achieved
Children: end child poverty ,promote and facilitate child development
Working Age & People with disabilities: significant reduction in jobless households and provide access to quality services
Older people: enable high proportion to live comfortably at home, with access to quality services & residential care, if required
Overall Poverty Reduction Target
To reduce the number of those experiencing ‘consistent poverty’# to between 2% and 4% by 2012, with the aim of eliminating consistent poverty by 2016, using the revised definition.
# - relates to deprivation of certain basic goods and services
Children: Key Targets
Targeted pre-school education for children in designated areas (mainly disadvantaged);
Halve the number of pupils with severe literacy difficulties in primary schools serving disadvantaged communities to less than 15%
Ensure more than 90% of those aged 20-24 have completed upper second level education
Maintain value of child income supports at 33-35% of minimum adult social welfare rate
Active Inclusion: Key Priority for Adult Lifecycles
Essentially about social inclusion through activation, where possible, of those furthest from the labour market, and having three strands:- link to the labour market through jobs, skills- income support for a dignified life, and- better access to quality services, or in UK terms
‘work for those who can, support for those whocannot ‘
Why Focus on Employment
Best route out of social exclusion – at risk of poverty rate substantially lower for people in work than those not in work
Potential for progression and gaining new skills - not available to those out of work
Evidence of broader benefits not directly tied to increases in income, including better health and better social contacts
Need for Tailored Services
People furthest from labour market can face awide range of barriers Illness/disability/age Lack of key skills Complex family responsibilities Housing/location problems, andNeed to develop services that are focussed on the individual, reflect local labour market and other conditions, delivered in partnership
Working Age: Key Targets
Introduce active case management for all those on long term social welfare - long term unemployed, lone parents, people with disabilities– Support 50,000 into employment, education and
training with the aim of reducing by 20%, those totally dependent on long term social welfare
Maintain the lowest social welfare rate at least at €185.80 in 2007 terms
Older People: Key Targets
Extension of work life: may include in work training, tackling age discrimination in the work place, and supporting flexible working
Continue to invest in community care services to enable older people to remain living in the community
Maintain a minimum rate of €200 in 2007 terms for all social welfare pensions and enhance if possible (target E300 per week in Government programme). Pension policy to be informed by Green Paper
People with Disabilities: Key Targets
Raise participation levels in education, training and employment– Additional 7,000 people in employment by
2010– Increase employment participation rate to
45% by 2016– Achieve overall participation rate of 50% in
education, training and employment by 2016
Communities: Key Targets
Increased focus on the local dimension in developing services for social inclusion – Local Government (eg extension of social inclusion units), Community and Voluntary Sector
Housing - increase output by 60,000 for those unable to meet their own needs by 2009
Health - 500 primary health care teams by 2011 Integration of migrants
– Develop overall strategy– Provide an additional 550 teachers for language supports – Improve translation services across public sector
Delivery
Focus on outcomes Bridge the gap between policy goals, objectives
and targets, and implementation Strengthen integrated approaches Ensure both national and local responses Be open to change and ready to close/adapt
programmes Accessible and flexible service delivery Monitoring and evaluation of performance Review Milestones (2008, 2010, 2013, 2016)
Making it happen! ImplementationStructures
Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion (chaired by Taoiseach/Prime Minister), with Minister for Social and Family Affairs having main responsibility in Government for social inclusion
Senior Officials – mainly policy coordination “Towards 2016” Partnership Steering Group with representatives of
social partners Social Inclusion Division – Department of Social and Family Affairs Liaison officers in key Government Ministries Social inclusion units in Local Authorities Social Inclusion Forum – annual conferences with representatives of
all stakeholders – last one held on 5th November Housing Forum Technical Advisory Group – advises on data strategy/indicators
Social Inclusion Division
Has responsibility for Government’s social inclusion agenda
Coordinates development of National Action Plan for inclusion (NAP incl) and other relevant strategies
Monitors, evaluates and reports on progress against social inclusion targets in NAP incl
Monitors progress being achieved on priorities for Ireland under OMC and prepares reports for the EU
Support functions: Communications, Poverty Impact Assessment, Data and Research
Annual Social Inclusion Report
Review progress of each lifecycle on a systematic basis, drawing together relevant strategies and reports
Social partners/other stakeholders consulted and views also reported from partnership and Social Inclusion Forum
Assessment of Progress achieved towards set targets and actions
Identify new issues, especially of cross cutting nature
Poverty: negative impact for both economy and social cohesion
“……poverty and inequality are evidence of an inefficient society, which wastes human resources, opportunities and life chances….
(and they)……will also weigh heavily on our capacity to sustain economic growth for years to come.”
OECD Secretariat to Ministerial Meeting, 2005.
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