Social Dialogue

The Department of Rural and Community Development have published its consultation on the Draft National Social Enterprise Policy.  In our submission, Social Justice Ireland recognises that, in the broader context, social enterprises provide a service to their communities.  It is therefore necessary to question the proposed resourcing, governance and oversight of social enterprises as proposed within this policy and to ensure that the policy meets the needs of the communities being served by social enterprises.  

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.

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. 

Tax cuts will not solve Ireland’s infrastructure problems, will not improve social services and will not deliver a fairer society.  Government, at the National Economic Dialogue, should take a long-term view and promote the common good by using all available resource to invest in Ireland’s social and physical infrastructure and services. This approach would lay the foundations for Ireland to deal with the many social, economic and demographic challenges it is currently facing and generate social and economic returns for the state.

As part of our Socio-Economic Review 2015 'Towards a Just Society' Social Justice Ireland sets out its views on how Ireland can ensure the future does not repeat the mistakes of the past. It sets out a guiding vision for a just society and a policy framework that would deliver a just future for all.  This policy framework is available below.