Ireland and the Europe 2020 Strategy Unemployment, Education and Poverty

The following report was compiled by Social Justice Ireland in the context of the Europe 2020 

Strategy and of Ireland’s National Reform Programme which sets out Ireland’s contribution to 

achieving the overarching targets of the Europe 2020 Strategy. 

The report covers three of the five headline targets established in the Irish National Reform 

Programme, namely, education, employment and ‘poverty and social exclusion’. On each of 

these areas it identifies the Europe 2020 target and Ireland’s NRP headline target. 

In each of these three areas this report

 Analyses the current context;

 Assesses progress (or otherwise) to date in achieving the headline target; 

 Reviews recent policy decisions and assesses their contribution (or otherwise) to Ireland 

achieving its targets;

 Identifies a number of relevant issues that need to be addressed if the targets are to be 

reached; and

 Makes proposals, where relevant, on adjusting the targets Government has set in 

particular areas.