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Policy Issues Home

A wide range of material on many policy issues is available on this page.  This includes both material and commentary from Social Justice Ireland and material from other sources.  The policy issues are listed alphabetically in the menu on this page.

10,000 homeless (including 3,600 children), 87,000 households on waiting lists – Government policy is a dramatic failure

4th September 2018

The Government has failed to respond adequately to our nation’s housing crisis. There are almost 87,000 households on social housing waiting lists - over half of whom are families - and 10,000 homeless, of whom 3,600 are children. This is a national emergency. The impact of homelessness and precarious housing on our nation’s children will be felt for generations to come.

One million on hospital waiting lists and children sleeping in Garda stations – Ireland’s worsening crises

10th August 2018

The economy is growing, unemployment is low - so why are Ireland's crises deepening?

Social Justice Ireland welcomes the Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy, but greater urgency needed

30th July 2018

Last week (27th July 2018), the Government launched its Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy 2018-2021, aimed at bringing existing vacant properties back into use.  According to the CSO, there are over 183,000 vacant properties, excluding holiday homes, across the State.  Many of these could be brought under the control of the local authority or Approved Housing Bodies and used to provide social homes.  However, while Social Justice Ireland supports the intention of the Strategy, we note that it does not propose to actually bring these homes back into use until next year or the year after.

With 800,000 in poverty, 700,000 on healthcare waiting lists and 10,000 homeless, its time to tackle Ireland's inequality

17th July 2018

Ireland now has the resources to ensure that inequality can be tackled effectively and the linked social injustices of poverty, waiting lists and homelessness can be addressed.  Priority should be given to reducing poverty, tackling the social housing crisis and reforming the healthcare system in both urban and rural Ireland.  Following on from our annual Sustainable Progress Index, Social Justice Ireland has published a 4-page brief on Ireland’s inability to get to grips with inequality.

Civil Society coalition criticises Ireland's progress on UN sustainable development goals

17th July 2018

Coalition 2030, an alliance of over 100 Irish civil society organisations and networks which includes Social Justice Ireland, has expressed concern that Ireland is falling behind on its commitment to implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The coalition outlined its concerns in a report published as the Irish Government prepares to present its first progress report on the SDGs at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday today.

Ireland becomes first country to commit to divesting all fossil fuel investments

13th July 2018

Social Justice Ireland enthusiastically welcomes the news that Ireland will become the first country in the world to divest its sovereign wealth fund of all investments in fossil fuels.

ALONE report calls on the Oireachtas to take action to prevent a housing crisis for older people

13th July 2018

A Report published by ALONE is calling on Government to act now to prevent a worsening housing crisis for older people.http://alone.ie/alone-report-calls-on-the-oireachtas-to-take-action-to-prevent-a-housing-crisis-for-older-people/

‘Radical’ changes needed to finance social housing

10th July 2018

In their report for the Community Foundation of Ireland, The Future of Council Housing, An analysis of the financial sustainability of local authority provided social housing, Prof. Michelle Norris and Dr. Aideen Hayden examine the existing structures for the provision of social housing to low income households and recommends the introduction of a Cost Rental model of social housing provision.

Budget 2019 should set out a pathway for Irish ODA to reach its target

5th July 2018

Ireland’s improving economic situation is an opportunity to recover lost ground in relation to our ODA commitments. Social Justice Ireland strongly urges Government to provide an additional €136m in Budget 2019 and make a commitment to increase the aid budget over the next four years to 0.59 per cent of GNI*.

Rising rents push Living Wage to €11.90 per hour

4th July 2018

The Living Wage for 2018 has been set at €11.90 per hour; an inrease of 20c over the last year. With the cost of living in most other areas falling, this increase is being driven solely by rising accommodation costs, with rent now accounting for half of minimum living costs in Dublin.

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