The Office for Social Inclusion is a Government office, based in the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Its overall responsibility is for co-ordinating and driving the governments social inclusion agenda which includes the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007 - 2016 (NAP Inclusion) and the social inclusion elements of the National Social Partnership Agreement Towards 2016 and the new National Development Plan 2007 - 2013.
The key challenge for the Office is to ensure that the social inclusion agenda is being implemented and further developed at national, regional and local levels of government in consultation with the relevant stakeholders.
The main functions of the office are:
- Co-ordinating social activity
- Monitor, evaluate and report on progress against agreed Social Inclusion targets and objectives
- Raise awareness
- Develop technical supports
To find out more about OSI and their work visit the website www.socialinclusion.ie
The Government is committed to a coherent strategy for social inclusion based on the lifecycle approach set out in the national partnership agreement Towards 2016. This National Action Plan for Social Inclusion (NAPinclusion), complemented by the social inclusion elements of the National Development Plan 2007 - 2013: Transforming Ireland - A Better Quality of Life for All, sets out how the social inclusion strategy will be achieved over the period 2007 - 2016.
The overall goal of the Plan is to reduce the number of those experiencing consistent poverty to between 2% and 4 % by 2012, with the aim of eliminating consistent poverty by 2016. A further 12 high level goals have been set across relevant policy areas and some 150 targets and actions aimed at ensuring that a decisive impact on poverty is made over the lifetime of the plan.
To facilitate and promote this, a lifecycle approach has been adopted in the strategies which focus policy and its implementation on children, people of working age, older people, people with disabilities and communities.
To view this plan, please click on the following link: http://www.socialinclusion.ie/documents/NAPinclusionReportPDF
The Government's action against poverty is brought together by two strategies:
NAPS - National Anti Poverty Strategy
NAP Inclusion - National Actions Plans Against Poverty and Social Exclusion
The National Anti Poverty Strategy was adopted in 1997. It is a ten-year Government plan to reduce poverty. The current plan, 'Building an Inclusive Society' was launched in 2002 and is a revision of the 1997 plan. Its aim is to "reduce or ideally eliminate (consistent) poverty" by 2007. The Strategy has a specific target of eliminating long term unemployment.
NAP Inclusion is drawn up every 2 to 3 years and is part of the ten-year European Union strategy (the 'Social Inclusion Strategy') to "make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty" by 2010.
To learn more about NAPS and NAPS Inclusion visit the website:www.eapn.ie/policy/141
Towards 2016 is the new Social Partnership Agreement providing an important and strategic framework for meeting the economic and social challenges ahead. Each of the previous partnership agreements has had a particular focus and has contained significant innovations. In this respect Towards 2016 has developed a new framework to address key social challenges, which the individual faces at each stage of life. This means a focus on the needs of children, young adults, people of working age, older people and people with disabilities. This approach is referred to as the Lifecyle Framework.
The overall goal of the Agreement is to achieve a dynamic, internationalised and participatory Irish society and economy, founded on a commitment to social justice and economic development that is both environmentally sustainable and internationally competitive. Therefore it was agreed that to realise this vision requires a longer-term framework, i.e. 10 years and development of a new social policy perspective, based on the lifecycle of the citizen.
The adoption of the lifecycle framework is a key innovative feature of the Agreement. The lifecycle approach places the individual at the centre of policy development and delivery, by assessing the risks facing him/her, and the supports available to him/her to address those risks, at key stages of his/her life. The key lifecycle stages are identified as: Children, People of Working Age, Older People, and People with disabilities. Within the Plan agreed vision and key long-term goals for each stage of the lifecycle, together with agreed priority actions for the initial phase of the Agreement, are identified.
To view this plan, please click on the following link: http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/Towards2016PartnershipAgreement.pdf
This Plan is called 'Transforming Ireland - A Better Quality of Life for All'. Launched in January, 2007 this new seven year plan is another milestone in building a prosperous Ireland for all its people, characterised by sustainable economic growth, greater social inclusion and balanced regional development.
The Plan is the largest and most ambitious investment programme ever proposed for Ireland. It provides €54.6 billion for investment in economic infrastructure; €49.6 billion for social inclusion measures (children, people with disabilities, etc); €33.6 billion for social infrastructure (housing, health, justice, etc); €25.8 billion for human capital (schools, training, higher education, etc) and €20 billion for enterprise, science and innovation.
Due to an increase in the country's population over the past ten years by 17% to 4.2 million, this plan hopes to address these demographic challenges.
It is a blueprint for the economic and social development of this island for future generations.
To view this plan, please click on the following link: http://www.ndp.ie/documents/ndp2007-2013/NDP-2007-2013-English.pdf
This three year Strategy looks at what Roscommon County Council want to do to address poverty and exclusion in our County.
Analysis was carried out and the feedback obtained via consultation has led the Council to build its Local Anti-Poverty Strategy (LAPS) around five themes:
- Raising Awareness
- Better Customer Care
- Improving People's Life Chances
- Developing Social Capital
- Making Things More Accessible
The Council believes a number of actions are critical to the implementation of the Strategy including:
- The continuation of the LAPS Steering Group, maintaining an overview of the LAPS and its implementation
- The placing of an anti-poverty/exclusion dimension within each of the Council's operational/business/service plans
- Implementation of Equality Proofing across Roscommon County Council
- Reporting each year via the Council's formal Annual Report on progress with the LAPS
To view the full Strategy, please click on the following link: A Local Anti Poverty Strategy for Roscommon County Council 2006-2008
This Strategy is called 'Roscommon - an Intercultural County'. It outlines how the County can ensure that racism does not influence any aspect of life within the increasingly diverse population that is Roscommon.
The Strategy contains two things:
- The County Equality Statement
The statement which every individual and organisation in the County uses to inform its actions and interactions. - The Intercultural Action Plans for 2007, 2008 and 2009
The specific actions and activities which will be implemented within the County Roscommon Intercultural Plan. The plan identifies roles, responsibilities and deadlines for all the actions.
To view the full Strategy, please click on the following link: Roscommon Intercultural Strategy 2007-2010