The INOU drafted our submission to the Department of Social Protection on their Consultation for a strategy to replace the “Road Map to Social Inclusion” which ends in 2025.
The Roadmap is a crucial strategy to promote social inclusion and reduce poverty in Ireland. People who find themselves unemployed are at risk of social exclusion and lower incomes; this can affect people’s ability to participate in society and reach their full potential.
This article gives a brief overview of the submission and our key priorities that should be included in the 2026 Strategy.
Our full submission is available here.
Data Collection, Targets and An Outcome Focussed Strategy
Previous Social Inclusion Strategies have had insufficient recommendations that have an outcome focus. The implementation of recommendations of the report should have been the action in the Strategy and the implementation should have been consistently monitored and reviewed. There is also a need for further data collection for specific groups that are not currently collected annually, e.g. income and living conditions of Travellers and Roma.
Aim for the Total Elimination of Consistent Poverty
As members of the Community Platform, the INOU continuously advocates for an adequate income for all, and for poverty to be eliminated in Ireland. The target set at a national level of 2% consistent poverty has never been achieved, likely due to a lack of political will to enforce public policy measures. We are now calling for more ambition from government to support complete eradication of consistent poverty in Ireland by 2030.
Access to an Inclusive Labour Market
Despite record levels of employment, the rates of employment for several groups remain below their European counterparts, including women, lone parents, and disabled people. This indicates that further systemic barriers are in place in Ireland for people to gain access to the labour market. Initiatives to address the high barriers of entry to the labour market should be developed in the lifetime of the Strategy.
Promoting Resilience with Adequate Incomes
Achieving an adequate income for all is necessary to protect low-income families most exposed to economic shifts. This should be done by ensuring that all social welfare rates are at a level which is sufficient to lift people above the poverty line and provide them with a Minimum Essential Standard of Living.
People who are unemployed face many barriers in accessing an adequate income, with an excessive focus on activation measures and a lack of proactive information and advice for the supports that are available to return to work. The welfare system, particularly means tested payments, comes with a high administrative burden, with low-income families having a lower than expected take-up of their entitlements.
Alongside investments in social welfare, the living wage rates must be implemented also to raise wages and lower rates of in-work poverty.
Investment in Communities
The need to invest in communities, via supports for community organisations, adult and community education, and social enterprises, are needed to promote social inclusion across all regions of Ireland.
Recommendations
- All actions for the forthcoming strategy should have an outcome and suitable indicator(s) that show how they will ultimately support the ambition of the Strategy and produce meaningful changes to people experiencing marginalisation in Ireland.
- The main aim of the anti-poverty strategy should be to eliminate consistent poverty by 2030. There should be sub-targets and actions for particularly vulnerable groups experiencing poverty throughout the lifetime of the Strategy.
- Recommendations on improving access to employment should focus on the provision of person-centred supports and access to public services for those furthest from the labour market.
- Social protection measures should ensure that all social welfare rates are at a level which is sufficient to lift people above the poverty line and provide them with a Minimum Essential Standard of Living.
- The social welfare system should be centred on users, reducing administrative burdens and promoting access to entitlements while providing a streamlined and accessible service.
- Sustainable investment for the community and voluntary sector and for learners in adult and community education are required to promote social cohesion and inclusion.