22 April 1999 Edition
Exceptional opportunity to tackle poverty
There was a homeless person sleeping rough on the street leading to the Bank of Ireland conference rooms where the Combat Poverty Agency (CPA) held a press conference to launch its strategic plan for the next three years. It is not a unique occurrence on the streets of Dublin today but it does underpin the growing inequities in Irish society and is a telling reminder of how much has to be done to eliminate poverty in Irish society.
Combat Poverty's plan has four key objectives. It wants to narrow ``the gap between rich and poor through promoting a fairer distribution of resources, services and employment opportunities''; achieve ``a coherent and planned public policy on child poverty''; ``advance the opportunity offered by the peace process to build a more inclusive and participative democracy on this island''; and ensure that the 26-County ``Anti-Poverty Strategy will have made significant progress in reducing and preventing poverty''.
Sinn Féin representatives had met with Combat Poverty when the agency was formulating its plan and outlined the party's position on the causes of poverty as well possible solutions to eliminating it. The party was just one of a range of political representatives that were consulted by the Combat Poverty Agency when they were formulating their strategy.
One of the most positive elements of the three-year plan is the Agency's proposals to tackle child poverty. CPA director Hugh Frazer told the media that ``we plan to organise and sustain a child poverty awareness campaign''. The CPA's goals for child poverty include engaging in enhanced research and analysis on the causes of child poverty as well as seeking the establishment of targets and specific actions to target child poverty.
In the context of supporting ``a more inclusive and participative democracy on this island'' the CPA plans to foster dialogue between policy-makers the community and the voluntary sector as well as monitor EU Peace and Reconciliation funds in a way which maximises social inclusion and reconciliation. The CPA also wants to deepen public and policy understanding of poverty and social exclusion in the border counties.
Perhaps one of the most telling parts of the of the agency's three year plan is their belief that the Ireland's rapidly expanding economy and other factors provide an exceptional opportunity to make a major advance in eliminating poverty. The CPA has laid down the challenge. The question is whether or not the Dublin government is up to it.
Combat Poverty's plan has four key objectives. It wants to narrow ``the gap between rich and poor through promoting a fairer distribution of resources, services and employment opportunities''; achieve ``a coherent and planned public policy on child poverty''; ``advance the opportunity offered by the peace process to build a more inclusive and participative democracy on this island''; and ensure that the 26-County ``Anti-Poverty Strategy will have made significant progress in reducing and preventing poverty''.
Sinn Féin representatives had met with Combat Poverty when the agency was formulating its plan and outlined the party's position on the causes of poverty as well possible solutions to eliminating it. The party was just one of a range of political representatives that were consulted by the Combat Poverty Agency when they were formulating their strategy.
One of the most positive elements of the three-year plan is the Agency's proposals to tackle child poverty. CPA director Hugh Frazer told the media that ``we plan to organise and sustain a child poverty awareness campaign''. The CPA's goals for child poverty include engaging in enhanced research and analysis on the causes of child poverty as well as seeking the establishment of targets and specific actions to target child poverty.
In the context of supporting ``a more inclusive and participative democracy on this island'' the CPA plans to foster dialogue between policy-makers the community and the voluntary sector as well as monitor EU Peace and Reconciliation funds in a way which maximises social inclusion and reconciliation. The CPA also wants to deepen public and policy understanding of poverty and social exclusion in the border counties.
Perhaps one of the most telling parts of the of the agency's three year plan is their belief that the Ireland's rapidly expanding economy and other factors provide an exceptional opportunity to make a major advance in eliminating poverty. The CPA has laid down the challenge. The question is whether or not the Dublin government is up to it.