Working to build a just society where human rights are respected, human dignity is protected, human development is facilitated and the environment is respected and protected.

Irish public opinion favours stronger EU economic governance - Eurostat

Irish public opinion continues to increase its support for  stronger EU economic governance, according to the latest Eurobarometer poll results. Along with the Finns, Ireland showed a 13% rise in those who want stronger European measures and coordination to combat the economic crisis, with a total of 77% in favour.

When asked how they felt about the national economic situation, 95% of Irish people polled think things are very or rather bad – as compared to an EU average of 77%. The most pessimistic of all are the Greeks (98%) and the Hungarians (96%). When asked about the national employment situation, 97% of Irish people polled were pessimistic, third most gloomy in the EU, behind the Greeks and the Spanish. The overall EU average was 83%. On the other hand, the Swedes are the least pessimistic about their national economy in the EU, at 26%.

Social Policy Conference on Future of the Welfare State - September 21, 2010

Social Justice Ireland's annual Social Policy Conference will address the issue of The Future of the Welfare State. The conference will be held at the Tara Towers Hotel in Dublin 4 on Tuesday, September 21, 2010. The future of the welfare state has been a topic of discussion and argument for more than 30 years on issues ranging from education to employment, from healthcare to social housing, from welfare rates to pensions to provision for people with disability. Some have claimed it cannot survive because the population is aging. Others have argued that globalisation will undermine it in due course. Recent economic upheavals and huge budget cutbacks in many countries have added to these questions What is its purpose? Can it be afforded? Is it a progressive concept? What, if anything, should it guarantee? What are the major challenges the welfare state faces in the years ahead? How do Ireland's politicians propose to address these challenges? These are just some of the questions this conference will address. Further information and a registration form in pdf format are available here.

Comhar publishes new study on Creating Green Infrastructure for Ireland

Comhar, Ireland’s Sustainable Development Council, has published its research report, ‘Creating Green Infrastructure for Ireland’ (August 24, 2010). The full report may be accessed here. A leaflet providing some key points may be accessed here.
The report states that green Infrastructure, through a properly functioning biodiversity, provides space for nature to deliver vital ecological services that underpin our quality of life. Green Infrastructure can be broadly defined as an interconnected network of green space that conserves natural ecosystem values and functions and provides associated benefits to human populations.
The report goes on to make the following key points:

Financial Crisis has created huge new problems for governments in Third World countries

The financial crisis has driven millions of people into poverty and put many more at risk according to a new report published by Oxfam. Written by Katerina Kyrili and Matthew Martin of Development Finance International this report shows that the world's poorest countries are struggling to fill huge budget deficits with less help from richer nations.

With the deadline for meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of slashing poverty just five years away, and aid budgets under pressure from the downturn, Oxfam is stressing the urgent need for new sources of help, such as a 'Robin Hood tax' on financial transactions.

NESC study on the Euro raises serious questions, makes concrete proposals

The National Economic and Social Council (NESC) has published a report, The Euro: an Irish Perspective. It is part of a broader study being conducted by NESC on Ireland and the EU.
 
On the Euro the Council’s analysis shows that:

  • Membership of the euro has been beneficial to Ireland, and if Ireland had not joined it is likely to have fared worse in the crisis of the past two years;
  • In the past decade, Ireland’s approach to fiscal policy, prices, costs and financial regulation were not sufficiently adapted to the disciplines of a single currency.
  • Despite important steps in the past year, the euro faces severe challenges: the effectiveness of the financial support provided to Greece, the recovery of the whole European economy in the context of fiscal austerity and the continuing risks to the financial system at global and European level.

The issue of moral hazard in the Irish banking system is not being addressed adequately

As Ireland faces major decisions on whether or not to extend the €450bn bank guarantee there is growing questioning of the danger of moral hazard in this process. Moral hazard is the situation in which an individual, or institution or whatever, is insulated from risk while others pay the negative consequences of the risk.  In such a situation those insulated from risk have a tendency or an incentive to behave inappropriately. Many argue this is what happened to Ireland’s banks in recent years and are concerned that the same may happen again in the future if much more serious institutional safeguards are not put into place.

This issue is addressed in a chapter of a book to be published by the London School of Economics on August 16th, 2010, entitled The Future of Finance and the theory that underpins it. In chapter 10 Peter Boone and Simon Johnson address the issue: Will the politics of global moral hazard sink us again?

Claiming Our Future - October 30, 2010

'Claiming our Future' is a civil society event to stake our claim to a future based on equality, inclusion, sustainability and human dignity.
Where: Industries Hall of the RDS in Dublin City
When: Saturday, 30th October (ALL-DAY)
A pdf version of this information may be downloaded here.
‘Claiming our Future’ is an event to stimulate the emergence of a cross sectoral community of interest and action for a more equal, inclusive and sustainable Ireland. We are organizing this event because we are deeply dissatisfied with the direction of Government policy in response to the economic recession. We do not accept that there is no alternative to these policies. There are choices to be made and civil society has a vital contribution to make in identifying and progressing new policy choices.
Earlier this year Is Feidir Linn, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Environmental Pillar of Social Partnership, the Community Platform, Social Justice Ireland and TASC began a series of meeting to explore how best to cooperate and coordinate endeavours for a more equal, inclusive and sustainable Ireland.

350,000 unpaid carers in Ireland today - 8% of all adults

The number of unpaid carers in Ireland is about 350,000 i.e. 8% of all adults. A study published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on July 29, 2010 shows that almost half of these are spending more than 15 hours per week providing care for the main person they cared for, with one in five carers spending more than 57 hours per week on caring activities. 

Just over a third of carers were caring for someone who required care due to old age and a further third were caring for someone with a physical disability only. One in ten carers were caring for someone with a mental disability only and 13% were caring for someone with both a physical and mental difficulty.

Government publishes Infrastructure Investment Priorities 2010-2016

Government published its Infrastructure Investment Priorities 2010-2016 on July 26, 2010. The 131-page document outlines the financial framework for capital investment in the period 2010-2016. Given economic developments in recent years the expected substantial reduction on the expenditure promised in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 is outlined.

Bank Guarantee documentation from the Department of Finance, July 15, 2010

Documentation regarding the Bank Guarantee, forwarded to the Oireachtas Committee on Public Accounts by the Department of Finance
15 July 2010 can be accessed here

The full text of the Honohan Report on the Irish Banking Crisis Regulatory and Financial Stability Policy can be accessed here.
The Regling Watson Preliminary Report on the Sources of Ireland's Banking Crisis can be accessed here.

Cost of making tax credits refundable would be less than 5% of Department of Finance’s estimate.

Making tax credits refundable would benefit 113,000 low-income individuals in an efficient and cost-effective manner according to a new study published by Social Justice Ireland on July 5, 2010. When children and other adults in the household are taken into account the total number of beneficiaries would be 240,000. The cost of making this change would be €140m which is in stark contrast to the estimate provided by the Department of Finance to the Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs which claimed the cost would be €3,000m (i.e. €3bn).

Main German Government Party considers Basic Income as alternative to social welfare

Disillusionment with the current welfare regime in Germany is real and growing. Interestingly, the solution being proposed by a growing bloc of Christian Democrats (Angela Merkel's party and major part of the current German Government Coalition) is that Germany should move to a Basic Income system. The group within the Christian Democrats proposing this move are led by Dieter Althaus, former premier of the German state of Thuringia. This recent article in City Journal tells an interesting story.

Current EU Issues

Ireland's unemployment continues to rise - major challenge for policy development

The seasonally adjusted number of people on the Live Register increased from 439,100 in May to 444,900 in June 2010, an increase of 5,800. According to the Central Statistic’s Office’s most recent publication the unadjusted numbers saw an increase in the Live Register of 37,420 (+9.0%). This compares with an increase of 43,788 (+11.1%) in the year to May 2010.

Policy Issues: A large volume of material is available on this site on a wide range of policy issues

Budget 2011 - Relevant documents and some issues

The 'Poor Can't Pay' campaign launches 'Time to Make a Commitment' initiative

The Poor Can't Pay Campaign has launched a 'Time to Make A Commitment' campaign in which they are asking people to make a personal commitment to do everything in their power to prevent further cuts to the incomes of those on social welfare or on the minimum wage.

Leading independent analysis find’s UK Budget deeply unfair

Britain's leading analysts of the UK Budget, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, has concluded that the measures contained in the recent UK Budget  would hit the poor harder than the rich. They reject the Government’s claim that the budget was “tough but fair”. This was before the British Chancellor admitted that he was looking for extra cuts in the social welfare budget.

I have my own Basic Income - one man's very interesting story

This is one man’s story of how he came to have a Basic Income for the rest of his life. His name is Karl Widerquist. He is Visiting Associate Professor in Philosophy, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar. He is also the Chair of BIEN – the Basic Income Earth Network that believes everyone in the world should have a Basic Income. He spoke at the Basic Income World Congress in Dublin in 2008.  This is his story in his own words – originally published in the recent edition of the BIEN Newsletter. It has many lessons for our time.

Social Justice Ireland supports Act Now on 2015 campaign

On June 10, 2010 former Taoiseach Dr. Garret FitzGerald launched “Act Now on 2015”, a campaign led by 61 anti-poverty organisations to call on Government to deliver on its promise to reach the UN target of spending 0.7% of national income on overseas aid by 2015. Social Justice Ireland is a member of this campaign.

Budget adjustment must not be achieved by cuts alone

Social Justice Ireland has challenged the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, to reject the proposal being attributed to him and his Department in recent days that all adjustments in Budget 2011 are to be met by cutting expenditure for services and infrastructure. Such an approach would condemn Ireland to a long period in recession with high unemployment and poor service provision according to this organisation which is a Social Partner in the Community and Voluntary Pillar of Social Partnership.

Will Hutton presentation on an alternative economic vision for Ireland

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions hosted a debate on May 12, 2010 featuring Will Hutton, well known economist and author from the UK. He spoke on An Alternative Economic Vision for Ireland.
A recording of the full debate can be accessed here.
The Irish Times report of his presentation (very truncated) can be accessed here.

Setting the agenda for a new and better Ireland

The Irish Times published an article on its op-ed pages by Sean Healy, Director of Social Justice Ireland, on April 29, 2010, setting out a narrative of how Ireland came to be in the current crisis, where it might go from here and how it might get there.  The full article can be accessed here.

Socio-Economic Review challenges dominant narrative underpinning public policy and discourse

 

Social Justice Ireland's 250-page Socio-Economic Review for 2010 entitled ‘An Agenda for a New Ireland published on April 6, 2010 argues that:
  1. Ireland’s policy-making for more than a decade was guided by many false assumptions concerning economic growth, taxation, services and infrastructure. 
  2. Many policy failures arose from these false assumptions.
  3. These policy failures produced much of the current series of crises that Ireland is facing.
  4. These crises have been exacerbated by persevering with failed policies and false assumptions.
  5. Ireland needs a new vision to guide policy development and decision-making if it is to move beyond the current series of crises. The Review sets out four core values that should underpin a guiding vision for Ireland in the years ahead.
  6. These values lead to key policy priorities for moving Ireland towards such a desirable alternative vision and spells out the details.

Legislators need to know what poverty is and how it is measured

Some legislators in Ireland are still working with illusions when it comes to measuring poverty. A meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs on March 25, 2010 saw a number of members of Ireland's Dail and Senate comment on what they thought the basis for measuring poverty was.

Irish Government's new pensions framework deeply flawed

The Government’s new pensions framework is deeply flawed. This can be seen, for example, in the fact that 47,000 older people in Ireland have no entitlement to a pension and these numbers may well grow in the years ahead. Government’s failure to introduce a universal pension entitlement in Ireland means that many people will have no pension. This situation is totally unacceptable and could have been addressed effectively by introducing a universal pension entitlement.

Purchase 'An Agenda For A New Ireland' - Social Justice Ireland's Socio-Economic Review 2010

You can purchase Social Justice Ireland's Annual Socio-Economic Review for 2010. Entitled An Agenda For A New Ireland, the 250-page Review costs €15 (including packaging and postage). To purchase a copy please click below.


Zero Poverty - Sign the Petition

A petition advocating Zero Poverty in the EU has been developed by Caritas Europa. It is hoped to collect one million signatures in support of this petition across the EU’s 27 member countries. It is being promoted in Ireland by Social Justice Ireland which is a part of the Caritas Europa programme seeking to address poverty and related issues in the EU. One million signatures would send a very strong message to the European Union and all its member countries.

Recent Publications from Social Justice Ireland

  • An Agenda for a New Ireland.  Details, full text and individual chapters available here
  • Policy Briefing on Poverty. Full text available here
  • Analysis and Critique of Budget 2010.  Full text available here
  • Beyond GDP: What is progress and how should it be measured.  Full text and individual chapters available here
  • Social Justice Ireland's detailed proposals for Budget 2010.  Full text available here
  • Policy Briefing on Budget Choices.  Full text available here

An Agenda For A New Ireland - full text

Budget 2010 - comprehensive material available here

Beyond GDP: What is progress and how should it be measured? - Full texts

This publication from Social Justice Ireland's addresses the topic Beyond GDP: What is progress and how should it be measured?  The full text of the book and the individual chapters are available through the links below.
Beyond GDP: What is progress and how should it be measured? - complete book

Social Justice Ireland challenges Ireland’s benchmarking of itself beside Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia

 
Producing a fair budget and working for a fairer future requires that Ireland stop benchmarking itself with Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Social Justice Ireland has pointed out that Ireland and these countries take the lowest proportion of national income in tax in the EU, have the lowest total-Government expenditure and have the lowest social expenditure in the EU. In fact Ireland’s total tax take has fallen as a proportion of GDP since the start of the present economic crisis – from 31.4% to 27.4% of GDP and is now among the lowest in the EU.

Ireland should re-commit to overseas aid target for 2012

 
Social Justice Ireland  believes that Ireland’s overseas aid budget should not be reduced any further. In the context of Ireland’s current challenges it is important to bear in mind that many people in the world are in a far worse situation and have been in this situation for a very long time. Ireland and other countries in the better-off part of the world should not abandon the world’s poorest at this crucial time.

Total tax-take needs to change - article in Irish Examiner by Director of Social Justice Ireland

 The Government can meet its budget expenditure cuts without reducing social welfare payments or the minimum wage.

Commission on Taxation produces mixed set of proposals

The Report of the Commission on Taxation, published on September 7, 2009, has produced a wide range of proposals. Some of these are very positive others are not acceptable. 

Eurostat finds Ireland's prices second highest in Europe

Prices in Ireland over 2008 were found to be the second highest in Europe. That’s the main finding of a Eurostat survey of consumer price levels in 2008 released earlier today. The figures are taken from a basket of goods including food, alcohol and tobacco, clothing, consumer electronics, personal transport equipment and hotels and dining out.

NESC Report on Well-Being - published October 6, 2009

An integrated and balanced approach, which takes into account the well-being of individuals and of society, is required in responding to the economic crisis’ according to the National Economic and Social Council (NESC). In its recent report NESC argues that economic and social progress are complementary, so that social well-being is a central element in economic recovery.

GDP seen as a poor measure of progress by Nobel economists Stiglitz, Sen and others

Standard measures of economic performance must be overhauled to reflect “well-being” and to help policy-makers address financial instability and climate change according to a major new study prepared by a Commission headed by two Nobel laureates in economics, Joseph Stiglitz and Amartya Sen. 

New Encyclical emphasises importance of the common good

Fixing the Economy by Focusing on Ethics

A new encyclical has been published calling for a new business order governed by ethics and the common good. In the encyclical letter entitled Charity in Truth (Caritatis in Veritate) Pope Benedict XVI's main message is that various "malfunctions" have taken place in the economy which are threatening human development in all its various forms. He points out that the current turmoil in world economies is being caused by a blind pursuit of profit and that our various social institutions have shifted their focus away from protecting people towards the narrower focus of profit.

Renewed Programme for Government - Full Text

The full text of the renewed Programme for Government published on October 10, 2009 is available here

Pay agreement 2010-2014 - Full Text

Department of Finance publishes analysis of replacement rates for unemployed people

On December 4, 2009 the Department of Finance published an analysis of replacement rates for unemployed people. The full text is available here.

€7billion gift to banks likely to undermine State’s finances and public services for years to come while failing to secure credit for businesses

Social Justice Ireland statement on NAMA and related issues.

NAMA documents - Update

Ground-breaking book shatters claims that income inequality doesn't matter

A recently published book entitled The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better, has produced the evidence that will no longer allow anybody to legitimately claim that income inequality doesn't matter. Written by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, this book addresses key issues concerning how inequality and/or income inequality cause the levels of health and other social indicators: levels of trust, mental illness, life expectancy, infant mortality, obesity, educational performance, teenage prgnancy, murder rates, imprisonment rates and social mobility. An excellent review article is available at the Citizen's Income Trust website and can be accessed here. 

Economic crisis is also a crisis of ethics - Davos poll

More than two thirds of people believe the current economic crisis is also a crisis of ethics and values, according to a World Economic Forum (WEF) opinion poll. The poll draws on responses from more than 130,000 people from 10 G20 economies on Facebook. When asked to identify the values most important for the global political and economic system, almost 40% chose honesty, integrity and transparency; 24% chose others’ rights, dignity and views; 20% chose the impact of actions on the well-being of others and 17% chose preserving the environment.

HSE Service Plan reveals Government's failure to address core challenge

The HSE's Service Plan for 2010 reveals the HSE's targets for hospital, community and primary care services.  The failure of Government (not the HSE) to support the initiatives required to provide a comprehensive network of primary care teams across the country means that the healthcare system will continue failing to provide the core structural development required. A close reading of this Service Plan suggests Government is continuing its drive to privatise large parts of the healthcare system.

Media coverage of book on progress

Is a 21-hour working week the answer to many current problems?

A new report from nef (the London-based New Economics Foundation) entitled 21 hours proposes a much shorter ‘normal’ working week to address a range of urgent, interlinked problems including: overwork, unemployment, over-consumption, high carbon emissions, low well-being, entrenched inequalities, and the lack of time to live sustainably, to care for each other, and simply to enjoy life. This publication suggests that moving towards much shorter hours of paid work, with 21 hours as the ultimate goal, offers a new route out of the multiple crises society faces today.