Challenges Ahead for Ireland as Spanish Presidency Launches 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion
Challenges Ahead for Ireland as Spanish Presidency Launches 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion
Government Should Prioritise Tackling Unemployment & Poverty Among Vulnerable Groups, says EAPN Ireland
Commenting on tomorrow’s launch (21/01/01) in Madrid of the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, Anna Visser Director of the European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland said that “the year represents an opportunity for the Government to prove that it is serious about tackling poverty, unemployment, and the devastating social legacy of the economic crash.”
“Ireland’s at-risk-of-poverty rate for 2008 was 14.4%*. However, the figures from 2008 also show that much work remains to be done in reducing at-risk-of poverty levels for vulnerable groups; particularly children (18%), lone parents (36%) and the unemployed (23%).”
“The unemployment crisis is a huge threat to Ireland’s social and economic future and a failure to address the problem in 2010 will drive thousands of people and families below the poverty line. Just 6.7% per cent of employed people are at risk of poverty in Ireland but that figure rises to 23% for unemployed people. The 2010 Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion represents an opportunity for the Government to set out a serious and ambitious plan for getting people back to work,” said Ms. Visser.
Ms. Visser continued;
“2010 is also an opportunity to hear the voices of people experiencing poverty and social exclusion. Those voices have been largely absent from the debate and EAPN Ireland will be working throughout the year to encourage and promote the participation of people who actually experience issues like poverty, homelessness, unemployment, and social exclusion in decision making and in the debate about the country’s recovery.”
Nearly 80 million people – 16% of the EU population – live below the poverty line. The European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland will hold a major international conference in Dublin on the 19th February to set out a vision for how the European Union and member states can use the 2010 European year to make a decisive and permanent impact on poverty and social exclusion.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland lobbies and campaigns for a stronger social dimension to policymaking at European and national level. EAPN Ireland is a network of groups and individuals working against poverty and social exclusion. The organisation is the Irish network of the European Anti-Poverty Network. EAPN Ireland works towards keeping poverty at the top of the Irish and European agenda through training, lobbying, policy development, and information dissemination.
- More information on the 2010 Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion is available from www.eapn.ie
- A coalition of European NGO networks has come together for 2010 to lobby for a strong political legacy for the 2010 year. More information is available from www.endpoverty.eu.
- *EU Survey on Living and Income Conditions 2008 (available from www.cso.ie)
For More Information Contact:
Mark Byrne
Communications Officer
European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland
22 Great Strand Street
Dublin 1
01-8745737 / 0877587922
Tags: launch of 2010 Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion
