Labour track record in tackling social exclusion second to none
Issued : Saturday 17 April, 2010
Statement by Joe Costello TD
Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with responsibility for Trade and Development
"The Labour Party has a track record second to none in tackling poverty and social exclusion. Frank Cluskey, former Leader of the Labour Party, established the Combat Poverty Agency in 1974. Thirty five years later Fianna Fail and the Green Party abolished it.
The Agency had been at the cutting edge of combating poverty and social exclusion in Ireland. In 1975 the Labour Party took the Combat Poverty concept to Europe and convinced the European Economic Community to take it on board - much against the wishes of Germany at the time.
It has continued to inform EU strategy on poverty and social exclusion ever since.
In 2000 it became an integral part of the ten year Lisbon strategy which ended this year.
Now, appropriately, 2010 is the European Year of Combating Poverty and Social exclusion. The EU Commission is finalising the new European 20:20 strategy for the next decade.
With 79 million people in the EU in poverty or at risk of poverty, including 19 million children, it is essential that the proposed target of a 25% reduction in poverty levels over 10 years be set at the beginning of the new 20:20 strategy.
Such a poverty reduction target, with built in strategies for delivery it would lift 20 million people out of poverty and reconnect people to the EU as a body relevant to their needs.
But first we must put our own house in order here in Ireland. We must reverse the disgraceful decision by Fianna Fail and the Green Party last year to abolish the Combat Poverty Agency which dealt with the poorest of the poor and, particularly, with the deprived and neglected children in our society. In the current crisis, more than ever, we need a strong independent voice for those who are less well off.
We should let it be heard loud and clear from this Conference today that Labour in Government will re establish the Combat Poverty Agency on an independent, statutory basis and that this commitment will be included in any future Programme for Government.
Again, it was Frank Cluskey stated that poverty is a product of inequality. Is it any wonder then that that having abolished the Agency dealing with poverty this shameless Government ploughed on to spancil the two statutory agencies dealing with equality,-the Irish Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority, by slashing their budgets by 24% and 43% respectively?
Once again let us here today pledge that in Government the Labour Party will ensure that these statutory bodies are sufficiently resourced to enable them to work properly and to function effectively for the future. "
