Ireland and the European Social Inclusion Strategy: Lessons Learned and the Road Ahead

Ireland and the European Social Inclusion Strategy: Lessons Learned and the Road Ahead A 20th anniversary publication from the European Anti Poverty Network Ireland Published in 2010 by EAPN Ireland Strand House 22 Great Strand Street Dublin 1 T: + 353 (0) 1 8745737 W: www.eapn.ie Copyright © EAPN Ireland and the authors 2010 All rights reserved. No part of any contribution to this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. EAPN Ireland invited a broad cross-section of actors to contribute to this publication. The opinions expressed are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of EAPN Ireland or its membership. Ireland and the European Social Inclusion Strategy: Lessons Learned and the Road Ahead A 20th anniversary publication from the European Anti Poverty Network Ireland Acknowledgments EAPN Ireland would like to thank all the contributors to this book, in particular those who put such work into producing the chapters. We would also like to acknowledge those on the editorial board who gave so much of their time and expertise including Robin Hanan, Peter Herrmann, Philip O’Connor, Kevin O’Kelly, Damien Peelo and Louise Richardson. Finally, thanks to Catherine Lynch for all her suggestions and input. Contents 01 Foreword: Philip O’Connor & Anna Visser 006 02 From poverty to social inclusion: The EU and Ireland: 018 Seamus Ó’Cinnéide 03 Introducing the Open Method of Coordination: Candy Murphy 036 04 Application of EU Open Method of Co-ordination – experience 052 in Ireland: Gerry Mangan 05 Adequate income: Jim Walsh 064 06 Access to decent employment: Brid O’Brien 086 07 Equality and anti-discrimination: Niall Crowley 100 08 Moving from rhetoric to a real focus on poverty, social exclusion 112 and inequality: the role of Services of General Interest: Ann Irwin 09 Instruments for implementation: Helen Johnston 130 10 From talk to impact: assessing the participation of people experiencing 146 poverty in policy development: Paul Ginnell and Michael Mackey 11 ‘Lots done, more to do’; the future of the Open Method 164 of Co-ordination: Mary Murphy B.A., PhD (DCU) 12 2030: A European social model. What we need to make progress in 178 the fight against poverty and social exclusion:Fintan Farrell 13 Conclusions: Proinsias De Rossa MEP 188 Niall Crowley Niall Crowley is an independent equality expert. He worked for ten years as chief executive of the Equality Authority from its establishment in 1999. Prior to this he worked in the community sector in Pavee Point and was involved as chairperson of the Community Workers Cooperative. He is author of “An Ambition for Equality’ published by Irish Academic Press in 2006 and of ‘Empty Promises: Bringing the Equality Authority to Heel’ published by A & A Farmar in 2010. Proinsias de Rossa Proinsias De Rossa is Labour Party MEP since 1999 and leads the Labour Delegation in the Socialists and Democrats Group. He is a member of the Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee, and Development Committee. He is the former leader of Democratic Left and Workers Party. He was a member of the 2002-03 Convention on the Future of Europe and served as Minister for Social Welfare in Ireland between 1994-97. Fintan Farrell Fintan Farrell is Director of EAPN since June 2002 and was president of the organisation from 1996 to 2000. Fintan has been President of the Platform of European Social NGOs (Social Platform) and Chairperson of the EU Civil Society Contact Group. Fintan is a great believer in participation and has contributed to the development of this practice, which seeks to empower people experiencing poverty and social exclusion. From 1995 to end 2001, he was the Director of the Irish Traveller Movement, an organisation defending the human rights of Irish Travellers. During this period Fintan was part of the team that represented the Irish Community and Voluntary Sector in the National Social Partnership arrangements. Paul Ginnell Paul Ginnell is a Community Worker and has been the Policy and Support Worker with EAPN Ireland since 2005. Before joining EAPN Ireland Paul was Coordinator of an EQUAL Community Initiative in Co. Westmeath and before that worked with the Limerick Travellers Development Group and the Irish Traveller Movement. He previously worked in Kenya with an organisation representing people with disabilities. Ann Irwin Ann Irwin is the National Co-ordinator of the Community Workers’ Co-operative, an organisation that promotes and supports community work as a means of achieving social change that will contribute to the creation of a more just, sustainable and equal society. Before taking on her current role, Ann worked with NUI Galway on a freelance basis where she specialised in work relating to anti-racism, poverty and equality. Helen Johnston Helen Johnston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the National Economic and Social Council. Helen previously worked at the Combat Poverty Agency where she was Head of Research for 8 years and then Director for 6 years. A native of Northern Ireland, Helen worked in the Northern Ireland civil service as a research officer in the early years of her career. Michael Mackey Michael Mackey has been involved with the Galway Simon Community since May 2007 and in 2008 became the first service user to serve on the Board. In 2008 & 2009 Michael was a delegate at the European Meetings of People Experiencing Poverty in Brussels. He also attended the EU Social Inclusion roundtable in Marseille in 2008 and took part in EAPN (Europe) seminars on participation in 2009 and 2010. Gerry Mangan Gerry Mangan, prior to his recent retirement, was the Director of the Office for Social Inclusion in the then Department of Social and Family Affairs. He had previously worked in its Planning and EU/International Divisions. He was the first Chief Executive of the Pension Board from 1991 to 1996. He represented Ireland for periods on the EU Social Protection Committee and the Council of Europe Committee for Social Cohesion. 003 Candy Murphy Candy Murphy is the Policy & Research Manager of One Family, the national representative body for one-parent families. In this capacity she has been involved in a number of campaigns aimed at improving the equality and rights of non-traditional families. Candy is a board member of the European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland. Candy also runs her own consultancy company and has carried out many studies on equality and social inclusion for clients in Ireland and for the EU. Prior to this Candy worked as the Principal Consultant with Goodbody Economic Consultants where she was responsible for a wide range of policy and evaluation studies. Mary Murphy Mary P. Murphy B.A., PhD (DCU) is a lecturer in Irish Politics and Society in the Department of Sociology, NUIM, Maynooth. Her research interests include globalisation and welfare states, redistribution, power and inequality, civil society and gender. Prior to academic life Mary worked full time in social justice campaigning groups and represented antipoverty interests in national policy institutions including NESC, NESF and national social partnership policy processes. Brid O’Brien Bríd O’Brien is the INOU’s Head of Policy and Media and plays a key role in formulating and developing INOU policy on unemployment, social welfare and the labour market. Bríd represents the INOU in Social Partnership and other structures. She is also a member of the Senior Management Team and acts as the media spokesperson. Prior to working with the INOU Bríd worked with Pavee Point Travellers Centre where her work included employment, local development and equality initiatives for Travellers. Seamus Ó’Cinnéide Séamus Ó Cinnéide is Professor Emeritus of European Social Policy in the Department of Applied Social Studies at the National University of Ireland Maynooth, where he established community and youth work courses. He was a member of the National Committee on Pilot Schemes to Combat Poverty, 1974-1980. He was the Irish evaluator in the Second European Poverty Programme, 1985-’89, and co-ordinator of evaluation in Poverty III, 1989-’94. He is Chairman of the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee. Philip O’Connor Philip O’Connor is chair of EAPN Ireland. He also chairs the EAPN Europe “Employment Working Group”. Philip has been Director of the Dublin Employment Pact since 1999 and through that has been involved in numerous policies and programmes at local, national and European levels aimed at tackling early school leaving, improving access to employment, developing workplace education schemes and building the social economy. Anna Visser Anna Visser is Director of EAPN Ireland. Before joining EAPN Ireland in January 2008, Anna worked as Senior Policy Officer for the European Network against Racism (ENAR) in Brussels. Anna has worked in policy and development roles in the statutory and NGO sectors at regional, national and international level, in the areas of anti-racism, equality, human rights and conflict resolution. Anna is a member of the steering committees of the Community Platform and the Equality and Rights Alliance, and a board member of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland. Jim Walsh Jim Walsh is Assistant Principal Officer in the Social Inclusion Division, Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs. Formerly, he was team leader in the Combat Poverty Agency, with responsibility for leading the organisation pending its integration with the Office for Social Inclusion within the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Jim’s professional background is research and policy analysis. 005 Chapter 01 Foreword Philip O’Connor & Anna Visser A EUROPE’S SOCIAL LIFE …an organisation of the world that will allow all resources to be exploited as well as possible and to be distributed as evenly as possible among persons, so as to create peace and happiness throughout the entire world,” Jean Monnet, a founding father of the European Union.1 European unity has resulted in substantial and formative change in how Member States seek to end poverty and include those who are vulnerable in society.

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