The Community Platform has collectively developed our Manifesto for the General Election. The Manifesto focuses on proposals under the following four key areas, which we are asking all political parties and candidates to address:

1. The eradication of poverty:
   • We are asking political parties and candidates to commit to the eradication of poverty by 2030. Further details of our Manifesto proposals are contained in our recent report, What Would it Take to Eliminate Consistent Poverty by 2030?.

1. The delivery of a universal Public System of Early Childhood Education and Care:
   • We are calling on parties and candidates to commit to the delivery of a universal Public System of Early Childhood Education and Care. More details are contained in the Community Platform paper, Principles for delivering a high quality, inclusive and accessible Public Childcare Model.
   • The Community Platform is also a member of the Together for Public alliance, and support its call for political parties and candidates to commit to a Public System of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC).

1. The implementation of an effective model of collaborative governance:
   • We call on parties and candidates to commit to the establishment of a Collaborative Governance Advisory Body, led by the Department of the Taoiseach, and with representatives from across civil society, to oversee the implementation of consistent and effective models of collaborative governance across Government Departments.
   • Details of the proposals are outlined in Towards A Progressive Model of Collaborative Governance: A Community Platform Discussion Paper.

1. The creation of inclusive, resilient, sustainable and empowered communities:
   • We call on parties and candidates to commit to build on the pilot Community Development Programme and invest in and expedite the establishment of a network of autonomous community development projects in and with marginalised communities.
   • In addition, we call on political parties and candidates to recognise the vital role community and voluntary organisations play in society, and the essential work these organisations carry out at the local and national level. We further call on candidates and parties to recognise the barriers and challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and to commit to significantly increase investment in and resourcing of these organisations, including through the development and implementation of more sustainable multi-year funding models to allow organisations to effectively plan long term.

These priorities are rooted in the values of dignity, social and economic justice, equality, solidarity, social and economic inclusion, sustainability, participation, and transparency which we call on all election candidates and political parties to uphold.

We also call on all candidates and parties to conduct their campaigns in a way that promotes respect for all and does not incite hatred or prejudice on the grounds of gender, marital status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, ‘race’ (including skin colour, nationality, ethnicity), religion, membership of the Traveller Community, or socio-economic status.

READ THE COMMUNITY PLATFORM MANIFESTO FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION HERE

COMMUNITY PLATFORM MEMBER MANIFESTOS

The Community Platform is an alliance of 31 national networks and organisations in the community and voluntary sector working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality. This page will be updated with manifestos, events and information from members in the run up to General Election 2024.

Age Action

Age Action’s General Election Manifesto, A New Approach to Ageing Policy, contains tens asks for the General Election. Age Action’s ten asks are a distillation of what we have learned from listening to older persons and asking for their views through surveys, interviews and focus, and also informed by international best practice and research findings.

AONTAS

The AONTAS General Election manifesto Transforming Adult and Community Education calls for the next Government to make transformative and progressive policy changes that will ensure those furthest behind in our education system are prioritised first. It asks politicians to focus on issues that have a massive impact on adult and community education – like childcare, public transport, social welfare and disability payments, student counselling, and pay and conditions for tutors and staff. 

European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) Ireland

The EAPN Ireland General Election Manifesto 2024 sets its priorities for the next Government. The Manifesto outlines a range of commitments the network is calling on all candidates and political parties to adopt, and to deliver should they form the next Government. EAPN Ireland is calling on the next Government to commit to eradicating, not just alleviating, poverty, and for priority to be given to addressing the systemic and structural root causes of poverty, social exclusion and inequality.

Focus Ireland

Focus Ireland has published its policy proposals for General Election Manifestos, What can political parties say about homelessness that will really make a difference? The document sets out six high level policy proposals, with detailed discussion of these policies, additional policy ideas which, based on its front-line experience and research, Focus believes can make a substantial difference if adopted, and a summary of what Focus sees as the most relevant proposals in relation to homelessness from the Report of the Housing Commission.

Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI)

ILMI has produced a Doorstep briefing for Election Candidates 2024, which is designed to empower disabled people across Ireland to confidently engage with election candidates. It includes specific, simple questions to push for commitments that support real rights-based changes – not just superficial fixes – in a way election candidates will understand and, most importantly, that can lead to tangible improvements for all disabled people.

Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU)

The INOU General Election Manifesto covers a range of key issues for the organisation under seven headings: ensuring adequate levels of income; improving welfare to work supports; providing quality training and education; enhancing labour market programmes; accessible and decent jobs; supportive employment services; and inclusive technological change. In the forthcoming General Election, the INOU is calling on all political parties and people standing for election to support particular measures and address the barriers facing people who are unemployed.

Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT)

The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) Priority Proposals for General Election Manifestos outlines 10 commitments parties should adopt to make the way in which we deal with people who offend more effective, humane, and less costly – financially and socially. This document gives a short overview of the issues, the context, and makes an argument for why these commitments are needed. It also provides concrete examples of specific actions – many implementable in the shorter term – that could be taken to realise these commitments.

National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA)

NALA has published its Manifesto, Our General Election Asks for Adult Literacy. It contains seven asks for political parties in this general election. These asks cover plain language, literacy programmes and literacy policy.

NALA has also created an Election Webpage to: provide you with information that explains the voting process; show how you can support adult literacy in this general election; and share what political parties are saying about adult literacy in their manifestos.

National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWC)

The National Women’s Council General Election Manifesto presents a feminist vision for an Ireland that advances women’s equality and protects women’s rights. NWC are calling on all general election candidates to demonstrate their commitment to women and equality by supporting ten key manifesto asks, including on childcare, violence against women, and universal healthcare (including reproductive rights) – issues that top the agenda for many women.

The NWC Feminist Communities for Climate Justice Network have created a set of election asks with feminist climate justice at their core – climate action that takes note of existing inequalities and leaves no community behind.

Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre

Pave Point has published its Manifesto Considerations: Election 2024/2025, calling on election candidates to make Traveller and Roma human rights and equality a Government priority, and to ensure an Ireland free from racism and discrimination, where all Travellers and Roma can fully realise their potential and participate as fully respected members of minority ethnic groups.

One Family

The One Family General Election Manifesto focuses on tackling persistent and acute challenges faced by one-parent families through comprehensive reforms. It proposes a set of measures to raise the living standard of one-parent families, including through unifying welfare payments, reducing employment barriers and lowering the Working Family Payment threshold. Other key measures include expanding Fuel Allowance eligibility, enhancing childcare subsidies and strengthening child maintenance enforcement. It calls for equitable parental leave, accessible and comprehensive out-of-court services, as well as coordinated, targeted initiatives to combat child poverty across Ireland.

Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI)

The RCNI Election Manifesto 2024 calls on candidates and political parties to commit to five key priorities for the next Government. While Ireland has shown considerable leadership and all-party commitment to taking seriously zero tolerance to sexual violence, rape and sexual violence remain a whole of society challenge. The RCNI manifesto outlines the steps needed to build on that momentum and work for an Ireland where everyone is free from sexual violence and the fear and threat of sexual violence.

Simon Communities of Ireland

The Simon Communities of Ireland Manifesto, Working to End Homelessness by 2030, outlines proposals for the next Government under three pillars: 1. Supporting Exits Out of Homelessness; 2. Actions to Prevent Homelessness; 3. Supporting People Experiencing Homelessness. It calls on the next Government to prioritise the ambition of the current 2030 target and to make considerable progress on the housing and homelessness crisis.

Threshold

Threshold’s General Election Manifesto, Making Housing Work: Solutions for Everyone, puts forward measures necessary to support renters and improve access to secure housing, provide solutions to some of the systemic problems of the Irish housing system, specifically the lack of affordability and security in the private rental sector, and safeguard against homelessness, ensuring everyone can access a home where they can live with dignity. Threshold’s overarching ask is for the forthcoming government to utilise the work done by the Housing Commission to create a long-term housing plan, akin to Sláintecare, with dedicated multi-annual funding, as has been done in Finland.

Treoir

Treoir’s General Election 2024 Manifesto lays out its key asks to the new government to create a fairer Ireland for all families. It advocates for policies to reduce poverty among single-parent families, make childcare affordable, address the housing crisis, and reform the family law system. The manifesto is a call to ensure that all family needs are front and centre in this election.

Women’s Aid

The Women’s Aid Maintaining Momentum General Election Manifesto call for tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to be made a priority in the next Programme for Government. It calls on every party and candidate to commit to Four Pillars of Action to tackle domestic violence and abuse: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, and Policy Integration and Data Collection.

Cairde, Immigrant Council of Ireland and Irish Refugee Council

Community Platform members Cairde, Immigrant Council of Ireland and Irish Refugee Council are members of a coalition of 22 organisations which has published Civil Society Manifesto Recommendations on International Protection, calling for protection of the rights and dignity of refugees and people seeking asylum.

COMMUNITY PLATFORM MEMBER EVENTS

Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT)

IPRT will be holding a Cross-Party Hustings on Penal Reform in the lead up to the upcoming General Election. Prior registration is required.

Date: Wednesday 20 November 2024
Time: 2pm to 4pm.
Location: Mansion House, Dublin 2

The hustings will give voters an opportunity to hear directly from political candidates about their positions on critical issues related to the prisons and the wider criminal justice system. This discussion aims to ensure penal reform remains a priority on the political agenda and empowers the public to make informed choices at the ballot box.

National Women’s Council and Women for Election

The National Women’s Council and Women for Election invite you to a General Election Hustings focused on increasing women’s representation and dismantling the barriers women face in accessing politics.

With the General Election fast approaching, this event offers a unique opportunity to hear from political representatives on their party’s commitment to advancing gender equality in the next Dáil term.

• Date: Thursday, 21st November 2024
• Where: online via Zoom
• Time: 8:30pm

REGISTER HERE

On the eve of Budget 2025, the Community Platform, a network of 31 national community and voluntary organisations, has published its annual Four Tests for Budget 2025. The Platform calls on the Government to leave a positive legacy on addressing poverty, social exclusion and inequality, and to deliver sustainable changes to build a stronger, fairer, and more resilient society, in which everyone can live with dignity.

The Community Platform, a network of 31 national organisations working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality, has published Four Tests which it will use to assess Budget 2025. The Four Tests are:

Test 1: Will Budget 2025 redistribute income towards the poorest 20%?
Test 2: Will Budget 2025 strengthen access to quality employment?
Test 3: Will Budget 2025 restore and strengthen public services that are of particular importance to people on low income?
Test 4: Will the impact of Budget 2025 be assessed to ensure that all provisions reduce poverty and inequality?

The Community Platform’s Four Tests for Budget 2025 draws on its members’ submissions to Budget 2025 to outline detailed measures and proposals the Government should implement in order to achieve each of these Four Tests.

Tim Hanley, speaking on behalf of the Community Platform, said: “Budget 2025 will be the last budget of the current Government, and its final chance to leave a positive legacy for people experiencing poverty, social exclusion and inequality. Despite suggestions that the worst of the cost-of-living crisis is behind us, many people continue to see no real improvements, and they risk falling even further behind. Poverty rates remain disproportionately high across all measures for many of the most marginalised groups, who were already in poverty and struggling to make ends meet before the cost-of-living crisis.”

Mr Hanley continued: “The Government must use Budget 2025 to deliver sustainable changes that contribute to building a stronger, fairer, and more equal society, in which everyone can live with dignity. Now is the time to take substantive and meaningful steps towards addressing the long-term inequalities in our society, the eradication of poverty, the provision of universal, accessible and affordable public services and decent jobs, and the creation of inclusive, resilient, sustainable and empowered communities.”

Read the Four Tests for Budget 2025

COMMUNITY PLATFORM CALLS ON ALL POLITICAL PARTIES TO COMMIT TO ELIMINATING POVERTY BY 2030

The Community Platform, an alliance of 31 national networks and organisations in the community and voluntary sector, has today called on all political parties to commit to the elimination of consistent poverty, as it launched its new report, ‘What Would it Take to Eliminate Consistent Poverty by 2030?’.

Drawing on the collective expertise of the Platform’s members – 31 leading organisations in the community and voluntary sector working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality – the report provides key insights into the root causes and structural reasons for consistent poverty, and the groups most commonly affected. Crucially, it identifies key solutions and provides recommendations to eliminate consistent poverty.

“This is a critical moment to make the eradication of poverty a political priority. Budget 2025 will be the final budget of the current Government, and a General Election is just around the corner. The Community Platform calls for all Budget measures to be assessed to ensure they reduce poverty, and for all political parties to commit to the elimination of consistent poverty as a key priority ahead of the General Election. The report shows it is possible to eliminate consistent poverty by 2030, but it will need a high level of political commitment,” said report author, Dr Nat O’Connor (Age Action/UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice).

“Ireland has a national target to reduce ‘consistent poverty’ to 2% or less by 2025. The Community Platform believes this official target does not go far enough. Why not aim for zero, as was the stated national policy in 2002 and 2007? Seeking to eliminate consistent poverty by 2030 would say that we want Ireland to be a country that does not leave anyone behind. We need a national anti-poverty strategy based on the goal of eliminating consistent poverty, one that acknowledges and addresses the structural reasons some people are more likely to be in poverty,” said Dr O’Connor.

Dr O’Connor continued: “The range of measures need to achieve the goal of eliminating consistent poverty by 2030 will need to address income adequacy for everyone, access to a decent work for those who can work, and routes out of poverty for those unable to secure an adequate income from work or who are unable to work. Greater investment is needed to ensure access to quality, affordable and sustainable public services for all, irrespective of income level. Tackling and lowering wealth inequality will be crucial, including through progressive taxation.”

Download the full report, ‘What Would it Take to Eliminate Consistent Poverty by 2030?’

The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights findings on Ireland highlight key issues the State must address if it is serious about tackling poverty and social exclusion and protecting the economic, social and cultural rights of the most marginalised and disadvantaged groups in society, the Community Platform said in response to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN CESCR) publishing its concluding observations on the fourth periodic report of Ireland.

The Community Platform, an alliance of 31 leading organisations in the Irish community and voluntary sector, made a submission to and engaged with the Committee ahead of its review of Ireland, to provide it with a vital alternative perspective on Ireland’s economic, social and cultural rights landscape. The concluding observations reflect many of the key concerns the Platform raised during the periodic review process, including the need for the State to tackle discrimination, address the structural causes of poverty and barriers to social inclusion, to guarantee income adequacy for all, to address deficits in the provision of a range of services including housing, health and care, to improve its engagement with affected communities and the organisations that represent them in the policy process, and the critical role of data and evidence for policy.

“The Committee has highlighted the urgency of ensuring everyone has an adequate income for a decent life, whether this is from work or social welfare, or a mix of both. A key recommendation is that both wages and social welfare supports be linked to the cost of living. It also recommends a review of conditions that affect people’s access to social welfare and the removal of any that are discriminatory, as well as improving the take-up of supports. The Committee also calls on the Government to tackle the barriers causing many groups and communities in society to have unequal access to decent work,” said Paul Ginnell, Director of the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) Ireland.

“A key concern for the Community Platform is engagement with affected communities, and the organisations that represent them, in the design and implementation of policy. We welcome the Committee’s recommendation that the Government must ensure the participation of civil society in the policy process, through meaningful and effective engagement at all stages, beyond just information and consultation, particularly the recognition that policies affecting disadvantaged and marginalised individuals and groups must be developed, monitored and evaluated in partnership with them,” said Ann Irwin, National Co-ordinator with Community Work Ireland.

“We welcome the Committee’s calls for Ireland to effectively tackle discrimination, stigma, and the structural and institutional barriers and exclusion faced by disadvantaged and marginalised groups. We are particularly heartened by the Committee’s recommendations that the Government include socio-economic status as a ground in Irish equality legislation, address the gender pay and pension gaps, and ensure targeted supports for groups disproportionately affected by poverty and social exclusion,” said Bríd O’Brien, Head of Policy and Media at the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU).

ENDS/

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Tim Hanley, email: communityplatform@eapn.ie

NOTES:

• The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Concluding Observations on Ireland are available here.
• The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN CESCR) is the body of that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by its State parties. The Covenant enshrines economic, social and cultural rights such as the rights to an adequate standard of living, adequate housing, education, health, social security, and work.
• The Community Platform Submission to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Fourth Periodic Review of Ireland is available here.
• Community Platform spokespersons: Paul Ginnell, Director, EAPN Ireland; Bríd O’Brien, Head of Policy and Media, Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU); Ann Irwin, National Co-ordinator, Community Work Ireland.
• The Community Platform Submission contains dedicated chapters with recommendations and proposals for engagement for effective policy and strategy design and implementation; the need for Government to be accountable for its decision-making; the use of data in informing effective policy implementation, as well as putting forward suggestions for Questions for the Committee to put to the Irish Government. The submission also drills down and addresses key articles in the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Irish context, along with recommendations for each:

• Article 2.1: Maximum Available Resources
• Article 2.2: Non-Discrimination
• Article 3: Equal Rights of Men and Women
• Article 6: Right to Work
• Article 7: Right to Just and Favourable Conditions of Work
• Article 9: Right to Social Security
• Article 10: Protection of the Family and Children
• Article 11: Right to an Adequate Standard of Living
• Article 13: Right to Education
• Article 27: Ethnic and Linguistic Minorities
• Article 12: Right to Physical and Mental Health
• Article 26: Right to Equality Before the Law
• Article 24: Rights of the Child
• Article 20: Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred

The Submission draws on the collective expertise of 31 national organisations, representing a wide range of groups experiencing poverty, social exclusion and inequality, to provide a vital alternative perspective ahead UN CESCR’s examination of Ireland next week. It provides key insights into what must change in order to improve the lives of people whose economic, social and cultural rights are not respected, protected and fulfilled as they should be in Ireland.

The Community Platform draws the Committee’s attention to the lack of effective engagement with affected communities, and the organisations that represent them, in the design and implementation of policy, the need for greater Government accountability for its decision-making, and the critical role of and gaps in data and evidence in informing effective policy.

“This Submission offers an important counterpoint to what the Government will present in Geneva. We provide the Committee with our assessment of how Ireland is faring when it comes to our international obligations, and make concrete, evidence-based recommendations for tackling some of the immense challenges we face as a society. Our work with people and groups experiencing poverty, social exclusion and inequality gives a unique insight that must inform the Government’s approach to these issues,” said Paul Ginnell, Director of the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) Ireland.

“We highlight the failure of successive Governments to properly address such major long-term challenges as poverty, health, education, employment and housing, which has resulted in deepening inequalities and hardship for many people, particularly those living on low incomes and from the most marginalised communities. We make concrete recommendations on structural issues hampering attempts to tackle poverty and social exclusion, including weaknesses in engagement and consultation with those affected and the organisations that represent them, failures in implementation of national policies and strategies, and the absence of accountability in Government decision making regarding policy and decision-making,” said Ann Irwin, National Co-ordinator with Community Work Ireland.

“The Community Platform believes that unless the Government improves and strengthens the ways it currently engages with civil society and affected communities, it will continue to fail to find workable and effective solutions to existing and new challenges. We propose a new approach for how the Irish State can engage with the community sector and work jointly to devise and implement new solutions to difficult challenges, and make recommendations for new, innovative and more collaborative approaches that are dynamic and fit for purpose, maximise involvement and harness the expertise of organisations and communities,” said Bríd O’Brien, Head of Policy and Media at the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU).

The full Community Platform Submission is available here.

This project has received funding from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Grants Scheme as part of the Commission’s statutory power to provide grants to promote human rights and equality under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

The Community Platform, a network of 31 national organisations working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality, has published Four Tests which it will use to assess Budget 2024.

The Community Platform, a network of 32 national organisations working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality, has published Four Tests which it will use to assess Budget 2023.

Principles for delivering a high quality, inclusive and accessible Public Childcare Model

Thursday 11^th November @ 11:30

Register Here

The Community Platform believes that the progressive delivery of a high quality, inclusive and accessible public childcare model is urgently needed. Lessons from the past, and reinforced by the Covid-19 pandemic, show the important role of the state in providing key public services and in ensuring universal access. A properly designed and delivered public childcare model can play an important role in addressing poverty and disadvantage. The Six Principles for a Public Childcare Model are:

1. Child centred
2. State Responsibility
3. Investment
4. Quality, inclusion and accessibility
5. Equality
6. Decent working conditions

Following the presentation of the Platform’s Principles the launch will have speakers outlining their support for a public model of childcare from their perspective as parents, childcare providers and professionals. This includes

• Bróna Ní Chobhthaigh, South Inner City Community Development Association, perspective of community childcare provider
• Mick Kenny, Association of Childcare Professionals – Perspective of Childcare professionals
• Vicky Wall, Waterford Women’s Centre Childcare – Parent perspective

A panel of speakers, including representatives from the community sector, trade unions and political parties will then respond to these proposals and perspectives. The panel includes:

• Orla O’Connor, NWC
• Dr Laura Bambrick, ICTU
• Ivana Bacik TD – Labour
• Richard Boyd Barrett TD – People Before Profit
• Kathleen Funchion TD – Sinn Féin
• Jennifer Whitmore TD – Social Democrats

Anyone requiring Irish Sign Language contact communityplatform@eapn.ie

The event is online by zoom: A link will be sent to those who register closer to date of the launch.

The Community Platform, a network of 32 national organisations working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality, has published Four Tests which it will use to assess Budget 2022.

The Community Platform, a network of 30 national organisations working to address poverty, social exclusion and inequality, has published Four Tests which it will use to assess Budget 2021.