Social Partnership Update

 

 The Community Platform together with the other Community & Voluntary Pillar organisations met with the Taoiseach (Oct) and the Minister for Finance (Nov) in the context of social partnership talks. The CVP 5 point Integrated Social and Economic Recovery strategy was presented at both meetings. The document can be accessed here. It consists of a combination of:

  • 1. Increasing the tax take while keeping Ireland a low tax country
  • 2. Securing better value for money in the delivery of our public services
  • 3. Reforming the public sector
  • 4. Target expenditure cuts where required but ensure that vulnerable people are protected.
  • 5. Focusing expenditure on the common good to provide required infrastructure and public services.

 

The basis of the CVP position was that vulnerable people cannot afford to pay the cost of the crisis i,e public services and social welfare payments must be protected.

The CVP highlighted the revenue raising options available to the Government e.g. abolishing the tax breaks identified by the commission on taxation etc.

Although the Minister expressed reservations about the potential to raise taxes further he did agree to another meeting to discuss the proposals in further detail.

 

Download a copy of the NESC Update here

Towards 2016 Review

Between April and September 2008 the Government and Social Partners reviewed progress under Towards 2016. The review took place in the context of a deteriorating economic situation.

The report ‘Towards 2016 Review and Transitional Agreement 2008-2009’ restates the commitment of the Government and social partners to work together to ensure that the vision and goals contained in the Agreement can be achieved, recognising that they pose major challenges in terms of availability of resources, building the necessary infrastructure and integrated service delivery at both national and local level.

The report also reiterated the Government's commitment to engage with the CVP on how to progress development of future frameworks to support the deepening of the partnership between statutory bodies and community and voluntary organisations.

The Community and Voluntary Pillar made a joint submission to the Government indicating where progress had been achieved and highlighting areas that need to be prioritised over the next 3 year period if the high level goals are to be achieved within the timeframe of the Agreement.

As well as contributing to the CVP submission Community Platform representatives attended a series of bilateral meetings between the Community and Voluntary Pillar and various government departments, including the Department of An Taoiseach, Social and Family Affairs, Education, Justice, Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.