Press release
Social Inclusion Forum will focus on poverty reduction measures
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
The first ever virtual Social Inclusion Forum opened today, Monday, 12th April, hosted jointly by the Department of Social Protection and the Department for Rural and Community Development. This significant event brings together policy makers, service providers and service users from across Government Departments, academia, NGOs, community and voluntary sector groups and people experiencing poverty and/or social exclusion, to discuss and debate national policy on poverty reduction and social inclusion.
Mr. Joe O’Brien, TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Social Inclusion in the Department of Social Protection and for community development in the Department of Rural and Community Development gave the opening address today.
This year’s Forum will focus on the Government’s Roadmap for Social Inclusion, 2020-2025 and the progress in implementing its commitments in its first year since it was adopted by Government at the start of 2020.
The Minister for Social Protection and Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, TD, commented:
“The Social Inclusion Forum allows for constructive engagement between the various Government Departments and the community and voluntary sector representing those who are experiencing poverty and exclusion.
“There has been progress in addressing poverty, deprivation and social exclusion in recent years and the Government’s Roadmap for Social Inclusion represents a further significant step forward in tackling these issues.
“While the Covid-19 pandemic has presented us with further challenges over the last year, we must remain focussed on tackling poverty and exclusion through effective delivery of commitments under the Roadmap.
“I look forward to addressing the Forum on Friday and to discussing the feedback from the four Workshops with my Government colleagues, including Minister of State, Joe O’Brien.
“In a post-COVID world, delivering upon our commitment to making Ireland one of the most socially-inclusive Member States in the EU will be a very real challenge but it is one that this Government is determined to pursue vigorously through the implementation of the commitments outlined in the Roadmap for Social Inclusion.”
Minister O’Brien commented:
“This Forum is a hugely important event where groups in tune with the very real, on the ground, issues of poverty, deprivation and social exclusion, are given an opportunity to engage with key decision makers across Government Departments.
“I feel very strongly about the importance of policy makers and senior officials within Departments engaging in real and meaningful ways with the Community & Voluntary sector and this Forum is one of the critical pieces of that engagement infrastructure.
“I am excited for the event and look forward to the discussions and the learnings we can take from it to progress initiatives to further address issues of poverty and social exclusion.”
The Social Inclusion Forum concludes on Friday, 16th April.
ENDS