Social Justice Ireland is an independent think tank and justice advocacy organisation that seeks to build a just society. We provide independent social analysis and evidence-based policy proposals, with the aim of creating a sustainable future for every member of society and for societies as a whole. In all of this, we focus on human rights and the common good.
Following the official recognition of the ethnicity of Irish Travellers in 2017, the Seanad Consultation Committee sought views from a range of stakeholders to make proposals to support Travellers’ full equality post-ethnicity; and to make recommendations on the way forward.
The Climate Action Plan 2019 contains many welcome policy recommendations, the challenge will be to implement them in a manner that is fair and that protects those who will be most impacted. Budget 2020 must put the national interest ahead of short-term sectoral interests if Government is serious about delivering on the Climate Action Plan 2019.
Employment numbers have been a major “good news story” in Ireland’s economic recovery and Budget 2020 is an opportunity to take steps to ensure these positive trends continue. Social Justice Ireland has, in our recently launched Budget Choices 2020 submission, identified a number of areas for investment.
On the surface Ireland is outperforming most countries in the EU when it comes to levels of economic growth and employment. However, a closer analysis tells a different story. If we are to address the housing crisis, tackle the long waiting lists in our healthcare system and meet our climate targets then Budget 2020 must be economically sound and socially fair.
The European Commission last week (05 June 2019) published its Country Specific Recommendations for Ireland as part of its European Semester work programme. The three recommendations for 2019/2020 focus once again on the need for Ireland to broaden the tax base, as well as supports for low work intensity households and targeted investment. These are areas on which the European Commission have made recommendations previously and, while Ireland has made some improvements in recent years, we have a long way to go.
Regulation should have consumer protection at its centre rather than the aim of increasing market participation. Before engaging in any new regulatory processes, the Government should ensure that the rights of its citizens are protected, including the right to a reasonable standard of living with access to basic services at a reasonable cost.
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) this week published its fifth monitoring report on Ireland. In it, the ECRI point to a number of improvements since its previous report was published in 2012, such as the establishment of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, the recognition of Travellers as an ethnicity, and the revised Migrant Integration Strategy, however problems of racism persist particularly for Travellers and those asylum seekers living in Direct Provision centres.
The Irish Pension system is in need of significant reform. Unfortunately policymakers have limited the scope of this reform to introducing Automatic Enrolment and very little else. In any format and by any measure, Auto Enrolment will greatly increase the (already significant) cost to the Exchequer of a private system that is failing to achieve its goals.A forthcoming conference, organised by the Pension Policy Research Group, will look at aspects of Auto Enrolment and the implications for the Irish pension system.
Social Justice Ireland wishes our newly elected MEPs every success. This is a pivotal time for the future of the European Union and MEPs play a key role in ensuring that social and environmental sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals are at the heart of Europe's future. To this end we have formulated Five Key Policy Asks for our MEPs in conjunction with Trocaire. They are:
The Elimination of Poverty
The Championing of Climate Justice
Policy Coherence on the SDGs
Delivery on the European Pillar of Social Rights
Supporting an international treaty on Business and Human Rights
Click here to read Budget Choices 2020, Social Justice Ireland's submission to government ahead of Budget 2020. You can also watch a video of the launch of Budget Choices 2020, where we go through the key details of our submission.
In this edition of our National Social Monitor, Social Justice Ireland looks at the budgets of each of the 31 Local Authorities and analyses where the money was spent, and where it wasn’t, to assess the priorities of local government.
What does your Local Authority value? What progress is being made at local level to tackle the causes of issues like housing, job sustainability and climate change? Following the publication of Social Justice Ireland's latest National Social Monitor - Local Issues edition, check out our Local Authority profiles, a one-page overview of each Local Authority area and how it spends its budget on your behalf.
What are the latest data and trends on poverty in Ireland and why is life on a low income the norm for a large proportion of our society? Social Justice Ireland’s annual Poverty Focus examines the nature and experience of poverty in Ireland and sets out a series of policy solutions.
This report was compiled by Social Justice Ireland in light of the Europe 2020 Strategy and its high-level targets, and of Ireland’s National Reform Programme. It is the latest in a series that has tracked Ireland’s performance for many years.
Watch the videos from our 2019 Global Justice Day Seminar here. Professor Charles Clark of St John's University in New York and Catherine Kavanagh of University College Cork launched our Sustainable Progress Index 2019, and Coalition 2030 Coordinator Jennifer Thompson responded.
Watch Social Justice Ireland'sBudget Choices Seminar, which was streamed live from Buswells Hotel on Tuesday June 5th.
Dr. Seán Healy, Colette Bennett and Eamon Murphy talk through our budgetary proposals for 2019, including our analysis of the various crises and infrastructural deficits faced by Ireland, and our revenue-raising measures that can help tackle them.
Social Justice Ireland marks UN World Day of Social Justice each year with a seminar looking at Ireland's progress to date in meeting our responsibilities under the Global Goals. You can view video footage of the seminar here.
