Social Justice Ireland  is an independent think tank and justice advocacy organisation that advances the lives of people and communities through providing independent social analysis and effective policy development to create a sustainable future for every member of society and for societies as a whole.  We work to build a just society through developing and delivering credible analysis and policy to improve society and the lives of people.  We identify sustainable options for the future and provide viable pathways forward.  In all of this we focus on human rights and the common good.

Analysis & Comment

Budget 2018 should be economically sound and socially fair

17th July 2017

Budget 2018 should substantially increase investment in infrastructure such as social housing and rural broadband, should address major problems in services like healthcare and education, should support development of the economy by investing in affordable childcare while not generating any net reduction in taxation.  These are the key recommendations of Social Justice Ireland's Budget Choices policy briefing which sets out fully-costed proposals on expenditure and taxation for Budget 2018.

Investment must take priority over tax cuts in Budget 2018

28th June 2017

Ireland is under-investing in key areas such as education, social housing and rural broadband. In order to deliver sustainable and inclusive growth public investment must be given priority in Budget 2018 and beyond.  Any delay in investment will simply exacerbate the situation.  Ireland has control of budgetary decisions regarding its taxation and expenditure. Most people want to see reductions in healthcare waiting lists, increases in social housing provision and reliable high-speed broadband across rural Ireland. To achieve this means there should be no net tax-cuts in Budget 2018. 

Over 250 Non-Goverment Organisations launch Alternative Vision for Europe

20th June 2017

Social Justice Ireland has joined more than 250 non-government organisations from across Europe who have today released an alternative vision for a more democratic, just and sustainable Europe. Intended to influence the debate on the future direction of Europe, this alternative vision is endorsed by organisations representing a multitude of public interest issues, including labour rights, culture, development, environment, health, women’s rights, youth, and anti-discrimination groups.

Census study highlights worrying trends and policy challenges

16th June 2017

The CSO recently published part 2 in a series of summary results from Census 2016 covering areas such as employment, socio-economic groups, skills, labour force participation and health.  This document highlights some very challenging trends in Ireland.  This data should guide and inform policy making in the areas of employment, education and training, caring, health and transport. 

Social Justice Ireland calls for EU-wide Basic Income system

7th June 2017

Social Justice Ireland has called for the introduction of an EU-wide Basic Income system.  Speaking at a consultation on the Future of Europe conducted by the European Economic and Social Committee, Seán Healy, Director, Social Justice Ireland, stated that confidence in the EU is being eroded steadily because of a number of failures in the areas of social policy, environmental protection and governance. It needed to be seen as a Union that cared for all its people.

Invitation to present to UN Expert Group

6th June 2017

Sean Healy, Director of Social Justice Ireland, was invited by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs to be part of an Expert Group Meeting on “Strategies for Eradicating Poverty to Achieve Sustainable Development for All” which was held at the United Nations in New York in May 2017.  This Expert Group Meeting was organised  to make specific policy recommendations on effective strategies for eradicating poverty in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including lessons from the implementation of the Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2008-2017). 

Despite impressive jobs growth, regional variations in employment trends show economic growth is not benefiting all parts of the country equally

9th May 2017

Regional variations in employment trends point to imbalanced economic growth that is not benefiting all parts of the country equally.  This is one of the key findings from the latest Employment Monitor.   Jobs growth over the last couple of years has been impressive and very welcome, but when it is broken down by region, trends are very uneven.

Ireland needs a new and radical social contract

18th April 2017

Ireland’s social contract is broken.  The legitimate expectations of citizens are not being met.  This is most obvious in areas such as housing and homelessness, a two-tier healthcare system, an ongoing failure to provide rural broadband and high levels of poverty and social exclusion, especially among children.  2017 is the first year of a new century for Ireland and now is the perfect opportunity to develop a new and radical social contract for Ireland’s second century. 

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Thought for the day

“Two roads diverge in a wood, and I-

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.    

(Robert Frost)

Further recent posts

You may view the 10 most recent posts on the main body of this page. The headlines and dates from the 20 posts preceding those are shown in this table. You may use the search tools on this site to find earlier posts dating back to 2009

Government should review Ireland’s tax policy priorities and raise the overall tax take - 04/04/17
Ireland not making progress in meeting Europe 2020 Targets - 13/03/17
Ireland ranked 11th of EU-15 countries in Sustainable Progress Index - 20/02/17
Median incomes increase but numbers in poverty still worrying - 01/02/17
100,000 people trapped in underemployment – headline employment figures mask worrying trends - 31/01/17
Failure to address social challenges is undermining confidence in the EU - 23/01/17
Costing a Basic Income for Ireland - 14/12/16
A Right to Housing? The case for a Universal Housing Subsidy - 14/12/16
Citizenship and Basic Income - 13/12/16
Citizen's Basic Income - is it feasible? - 13/12/16
Basic Income - Radical Utopia or Practical Solution? - 13/12/16
Basic Income - Finnish Pilot - 13/12/16
Municipal Basic Income experiments - Netherlands - 13/12/16
Basic Income and Transformative Strategies - 13/12/16
Pathways to a Basic Income System - 12/12/16
Presentations to Oireachtas Committees - 09/12/16
Basic Income as the key to resolving welfare and work challenges - 30/11/16
Distributive Effects Budget 2017 - 02/11/16
Budget 2017 ignores the working poor and lacks coherence - 13/10/16
Ireland is at a pivotal moment and could build a fair, just society - 11/10/16