Shared goals
Four key high level goals have been identified through the strategic planning process8 to achieve the Community Platform mission. The Strategic Plan provides an outline of the key means of achieving the goals. They can be summarised as follows: (add link to strategic plan document when available)
-
To generate a shared analysis of an alternative social and economic model of development
Community Platform members share a view that the dominant model of development does not produce equal, just or sustainable outcomes for the groups they represent as documented in the Community Platform commissioned report ‘A Better Ireland is Possible – towards an alternative vision for Ireland9’ (link to report A Better Ireland is Possible ) Building on the findings in this report the Community Platform intends to create the conditions for open inclusive debate about the values which underpin an alternative model of development and in so doing build support for it. -
To be an inclusive and dynamic Platform by empowering the active participation of members
The CP is committed to creating the conditions to facilitate the enhanced participation and unique contribution of all members. This will entail the creation of opportunities for training and development to support the full participation of members. -
To influence public policy and discourse by engaging with Social Partnership effectively and strategically
Effective engagement in social partnership is a key goal for the Community Platform, considering that social partnership structures are amongst the key mechanisms for influencing the design and implementation of policy that directly impacts on the lives of the people that the Community Platform member organisations represent. The Community Platform is committed to reviewing and enhancing the mechanisms to support Community Platform participation in social partnership arrangements, to providing capacity building training, tailored for social partnership processes for members and developing informed and strategic submissions etc on cross-cutting issues in order to achieve more effective participation and outcomes. -
To develop solidarity and alliances around the implementation of an alternative social and economic model
A core purpose of the Community Platform's existence is to develop a strong collective critical voice for equality and anti-poverty interests at a national level. The report ‘A Better Ireland is Possible' recognises that ‘there is scope to vary Ireland's model of economic and social development' but that this will require an active and engaged civil society committed to creating such an alternative. The Community Platform is committed to fostering solidarity both between its members, within social partnership arenas and beyond to achieve this vision.
Latest News
The Community Platform*, a network of 30 national community organisations today called on those involved in negotiating the new programme for government to pursue an alternative vision for Ireland - an Ireland where policies and actions are based on the values of social solidarity, justice, equality and sustainability.
Updates From Members
Debt and Development Coalition recently launched a new book 'Driving the Getaway Car? Ireland, Tax and Development', written on behalf of its member organisations by Dr Sheila Killian of the University of Limerick.
'Driving the Getaway Car?' explains how impoverished countries lose billions of euro through weak domestic tax collection capacities and through unjust international tax structures. Transfer pricing abuse is highlighted as a particular area of concern. This is when subsidiaries of the same multi-national company artificially set the prices of goods and services in order to minimise their tax bills, often through the use of secrecy jurisdictions, popularly known as tax havens. This illegal practice is very difficult to monitor and costs impoverished countries billions in lost tax revenue.