Briefing:
National Action Plan from Social Inclusion
(NAP Inclusion)
July 2007
Email:[email protected]
A.
www.eapn.ie
Background
Ireland currently has two National Action Plans for Social Inclusion which have different
origins and structures. However, both are linked with a lot of similarity in content and targets. The targets
and actions outlined in both strategies were agreed as part of the Social Partnership discussions in 2006
and are outlined in the agreement Towards 2016.
The National Action Plan for Social Inclusion (NAP Inclusion) 2007-2016 contains greater detail
than the Irish National Report on Strategies for Social Protection and Social Inclusion (NSSPSI) 20062008 which has been developed as part of the EU inclusion strategy. However, both are significant and
the fact that the NSSPSI is part of a coordinated process at EU level is important.
The Social Inclusion chapter of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013 outlines
budgets for social inclusion actions which links back to both strategies. The National Women’s Strategy
2007-2016 is also linked to the NAP Inclusion.
This briefing aims to introduce the social inclusion plans and outline their content as well as
providing some information to support anti-poverty and social inclusion groups to engage with them. By
accessing this briefing on line at http://www.eapn.ie/policy/141 it is possible to make links to relevant
documents.
B.
Introduction to the Plans
1. The EU Social Inclusion Strategy
i. Background
In 2000 following a decision of the European Council (Heads of State) in Lisbon the EU initiated
its own Social Inclusion Strategy. This aims to ‘make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty by
2010’. The EU agreed Objectives for achieving this overall aim and based on EU Guidelines each
Member State produces multi-annual social inclusion strategies to achieve these objectives. This process
is called the Open Method of Co-ordination (OMC). Ireland produced National Action Plans Against
Poverty and Social Exclusion (NAP Inclusion) for 2001-2003 and 2003-2005/6.
In 2005 as part of the revision of the Lisbon Strategy the EU added the social inclusion and social
protection (pensions, health and long term-care) processes together and now Member States have to
produce National Reports on Strategies for Social Protection and Social Inclusion (NSSPSI). Social
inclusion is a distinct chapter in these Reports. The current report for Ireland is the NSSPSI 2006-2008.
The social inclusion process is part of the wider Lisbon Strategy (or Agenda) which includes
economic and in 2001 environmental objectives and by 2010 aims“to make the EU the most competitive
and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world capable of sustaining more and better jobs and with
greater social cohesion”.
Because social policy is still mainly the responsibility of member states, rather than the EU, the Social
Inclusion Strategy is held together by an "Open Method of Coordination". This involves involving:
 common Objectives agreed at EU level
 2/3 yearly national action plans in each country to implement these objectives
 a Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion (previously called the Joint Inclusion
Report or JIR) which analyses the plans from the 15 member states by theme and by country
 a system of 'peer review', involving scrutiny of the national plans and exchange of examples of
good practice. In 2004 the Irish Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) was the focus of
a Peer Review and in November 2007 the NESF run National Social Inclusion Forum will be the
focus.
 development of a number of common indicators to measure progress.
EAPN Ireland: NAPs Inclusion Briefing July 2007
NAP Incl. Webpage: http://www.eapn.ie/policy/23
ii. The EU Objectives
Common Objectives for Social Protection and Social Inclusion are:
a) To promote social cohesion, equality between men and women and equal opportunities for all
through adequate, accessible, financially sustainable, adaptable and efficient social protection
systems and social inclusion policies.
b) To promote effective and mutual interaction between the Lisbon objectives of greater economic
growth, more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, and with the EU’s Sustainable
Development Strategy.
c) To promote good governance, transparency and the involvement of stakeholders in the design,
implementation and monitoring of policy.
The Social Inclusion Objectives are:
-to make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty and social exclusion by ensuring:
i. access for all to the resources, rights and services needed for participation in society, preventing and
addressing exclusion, and fighting all forms of discrimination leading to exclusion,
ii. the active social inclusion of all, both by promoting participation in the labour market and by
fighting poverty and social exclusion;
iii. that social inclusion policies are well-coordinated and involve all levels of government and relevant
actors, including people experiencing poverty, that they are efficient and effective and mainstreamed
into all relevant public policies, including economic, budgetary, education and training policies and
structural fund (notably ESF) programmes.
EU Guidelines advised each Member State to outline 3-4 policy priorities and to give detailed targets and
budgets for achieving these.
iii. Ireland’s NSSPSI – National Strategy for Social Inclusion
Four Social Inclusion Policy Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Child Poverty
Access to quality work and learning opportunities (Activation measures)
Integration of immigrants
Access to quality services
Annex 2.2 of the Plan outlines a range of targets for each objective. These are also outlined in the social
partnership agreement Towards 2016 and are the same as in the NAP Inclusion 2007-2016 (see below).
iv. Some issues raised in the EU Joint Report on Social Protection and Social
Inclusion for Ireland
General
 Streamlining of the NAP Inclusion, NDP and
Towards 2016 seen as positive as well as the
new national social inclusion report.
 Highlights weakness of lack of explicit
targets in relation to poverty reduction
 States that high ‘risk of poverty’ levels are a
reflection of social welfare system and that
the continued levels of inequality must be a
matter for concern.
 Notes:
i. public social expenditure at 15.5% of
GDP is considerable below EU average of
23.4% and
ii. the increasing prevalence of people in
employment at risk of poverty.
Specifically
 Generally positive regarding the 4 objectives
 Need for more flexible approach to training and education
provision (e.g. childcare provision and start times)
 Employment disincentives in the welfare system as a
serious issue
 Lack of clear targets on migration
 Highlights that Towards 2016 Lifecycle approach is
‘gender-blind’ diminishing the visibility of gender
mainstreaming and lack of specific targets in the NSSPI.
Challenges
 Sustained investment in service provision (esp. childcare
and eldercare)
 Addressing high proportion of at risk of poverty and high
level of income inequalities. Repeats concern over lack of
targets for poverty reduction.- Hopes to see this addressed
in Irish NAP Inclusion.
EAPN Ireland: NAPs Inclusion Briefing July 2007
NAP Incl. Webpage: http://www.eapn.ie/policy/23
2.
National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2013
i. Background
In 1997 the Government produced the National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS) 1997-2007. This
was in response to a UN Summit in Copenhagen. Due to strong economic growth after 1997 and great
progress being made in achieving the 10-year targets set in 1997 the NAPS was revised in 2002 and
targets were updated. Chief among these was to ‘reduce consistent poverty to 2% or if possible eliminate
it by 2007’.
In February 2007 the Government published a new Strategy called the National Action Plan for
Social Inclusion (NAP Inclusion) 2007-2016 with new targets on some areas. It is in the structure of the
Lifecycle framework.
ii. Commitments
(a). The Overall Poverty Goal:
‘to reduce the number of those experiencing consistent poverty to between 2% and 4% by 2012,
with the aim on eliminating consistent poverty by 2016, under the revised definition’.
(b). 12 High Level Goals
Spread across five policy areas.
 Children
Goal 1: Education – Ensure that targeted pre-school education is provided to children from urban
primary school communities covered by the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS)
action Plan
Goal 2: Education – Reduce the proportion of pupils with serious literacy difficulties in primarily
schools serving disadvantaged communities. The target is to halve the proportion from the current
27%-30% to less that 15% by 2016.
Goal 3: Education – Work to ensure that the proportion of the population aged 20-24 completing
upper second level education or equivalent will exceed 90% by 2013.
Goal 4: Income Support – Maintain the combined value of child income support measures at 33%35% of the minimum adult social welfare payment rate over the course of this Plan and review child
income supports aimed at assisting children in families on low income.
 People of Working Age
Goal 5: Employment – Introduce and active case management approach that will support those on
long-term social welfare into education, training and employment. The target is to support 50,000
such people, including lone parents and the long-term unemployed, with an overall aim of reducing
by 20% the number of those whose total income is derived from long-term social welfare payments
by 2016. This target will be reviewed in the light of experience.
Goal 6: Income Support – Maintain the relative value of the lowest social welfare rate at least at
€185.80, in 2007 terms, over the course of this plan, subject to available resources.
 Older People
Goal 7: Community Care – Continue to increase investment in community care services for older
people, including home care packages and enhanced day care services, to support them to live
independently in the community for as long as possible.

The overall structure reflects the Lifecycle Approach to policy which was first outlined by the National Economic and
Social Council (NESC) in its report on the Developmental Welfare State in 2005 and taken up by the Government as the
structure for Towards 2016. This focuses on the development of social policy under four areas i.e. young people, people of
working age, older people and people with disabilities. Communities is added in the NAP Inclusion to cover a range of cross
cutting areas not addressed under a lifecycle framework.
EAPN Ireland: NAPs Inclusion Briefing July 2007
NAP Incl. Webpage: http://www.eapn.ie/policy/23
Goal 8: Income Support – Maintain a minimum payment rate of €200 per week, in 2007 terms, for
all social welfare pensions over the course of this Plan, and, if possible, having regard to available
resources and the Government’s commitment in Towards 2016, to enhance this provision. The
overall pension structures and system to provide income supports for pensioners will be reviewed in
the light of forthcoming Green Paper on Pensions, to be finalised at end March 2007. This will
review all the pillars of pension provision.
 People with Disabilities
Goal 9: Employment and Participation – Increase the employment of people with disabilities who
do not have a difficulty in retaining a job. The immediate objective is to have an additional 7,000 of
that cohort in employment by 2010. The longer term target is to raise the employment rate of people
with disabilities from 37% to 45% by 2016 as measured by the Quarterly National Household
Survey. The overall participation rate in education, training and employment will be increased by
50% by 2016. These targets will be reviewed in the light of experience and the availability of better
data.
 Communities
Goal 10: Housing - Deliver high quality housing for those who cannot afford to meet their own
housing needs and to underpin the building of sustainable communities. An important element will
be the enhanced housing output reflected in Towards 2016, which will result in the accommodation
needs of some 60,000 new households being addressed over the period 2007 to 2009. This will
embrace meeting special housing needs (the homeless, Travellers, older people and people with
disabilities).
Goal 11: Health – Develop 500 primary care teams by 2011 which will improve access to services
in the community, with particular emphasis on meeting the needs of holders of medical cards.
Goal 12: Integration of Migrants - Develop a strategy aimed at achieving the integration of
newcomers in our society. As an initial action, resources for the provision of 550 teachers for
language supports in the education sector will be provided by 2009 and access to other public
services through translation of information and supports will be improved.
(c) Other Commitments
There are also other targets and commitments under each of the 5 headings. The following areas are covered
under the Communities Chapter:
 Services
- Housing
- Homelessness
- Carers
- Travellers
- Migrants
- Transport
- Library
Services
 Innovative Measures
- Active
Citizenship
- Fuel Poverty
- Broadband
- Sport
- Arts and Culture
- E-Inclusion
- Dormant
Accounts Fund
- Financial Inclusion
EAPN Ireland: NAPs Inclusion Briefing July 2007
 Community Based Programmes
- CLAR
- Rural Development Programme
(incl. LEADER)
- Gaeltacht and Island Communities
- Local Development Social
Inclusion Programme (LDSIP)
- Community Development
Programme
- RAPID
- Community Services Programme
- Joint Policing Committee
- Family Support Services
- National Drugs Strategy
NAP Incl. Webpage: http://www.eapn.ie/policy/23
iii. Institutional Structures
A number of Structures are in place to support the NAP Inclusion (See: Annex 4/5 NAP Inclusion). These
are:
 Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion
 Local Government Social Inclusion Steering
(Drugs and Rural Development)
Group
 Oireachtas Committees – Social and Family  County/City Development Boards and other
Affairs
local structures
 Senior Officials Group on Social Inclusion
 Social inclusion units in government
 Towards 2016 Partnership Steering Group
departments and on a phased basis in half of
 Office for Social inclusion
all county/city local authorities by the end
 National Economic and Social Development
of 2008
Office (NESDO) Includes NESF, NESC
 Social Inclusion Forum
and NCPP
 Community and Voluntary Sector
 NDP Monitoring Committee
 Technical Advisory Group (Data Strategy)
 Combat Poverty Agency
 EU Social Protection Committee
iv. Annual Social Inclusion Report
This is a new report to be prepared by the Office for Social Inclusion (OSI) drawing from other relevant
structures, reports and national strategies. It will:
i. be an assessment of progress towards set targets and actions – under lifecycle approach;
ii. identify new issues which might benefit from a more co-ordinated approach; and
iii. report on stakeholders views.
N.B. In developing the report OSI is to consult all social partners and work with all stakeholders at
national and local level.
v. Other Key Elements
i. Poverty Impact Assessment (Poverty Proofing)
 Stated aim in the NAP Inclusion is to ‘assess policies and programmes at design, implementation
and review stages for their likely impact on poverty and on inequalities which are likely to lead to
poverty with a view to poverty reduction’.
 In place for a number of years and re-developed in 2005
ii. Technical Advisory Group –
 This Group is to guide the Poverty measurement and Data Strategy which aims to address the
lack of sufficient data to measure poverty and social exclusion and progress being made in
addressing it.
vi. Delivery is through the following structures at national and local level





National
Government Departments and
Agencies
Office of the Minister for
Children
Activation –High Level Group
Local Government Social
Inclusion Steering Group
New mechanisms to improve coordination and delivery of
housing (national/local)





Local
County Childcare Committees
Local Authorities
- Social inclusion strategies
- Working with CDB and RAPID
- Expanding role re. social capital, active
citizenship, community development (in line with
competency of local government)
Local partnership structures
Affirms role of CDB as key co-ordination mechanism for
public service delivery (incl. social inclusion)
Senior Officials Group to review local programmes to reduce
duplication and improve coherence at local level.
EAPN Ireland: NAPs Inclusion Briefing July 2007
NAP Incl. Webpage: http://www.eapn.ie/policy/23
C.
How can we Engage with NAP Inclusion?
 Being clear on issues and demands
 Know what has been promised (in each or relevant area)
 NSSPSI and NAP incl.
 Read alongside NDP (esp. social Inclusion chapter) and Towards 2016
 Monitoring Implementation (national)
 Social Partnership
 Ensuring engagement with Annual SI Report
 Developing ways of monitoring
 Social Inclusion Forum – 15th November
 Lobbying TDs and Officials
 Local Level Implementation
 Engagement with County/City Development Boards
 Local Anti-Poverty Strategies
 Monitoring Implementation e.g. health, employment (activation), housing/accommodation,
transport, childcare, education/literacy etc.
 Ensuring understanding of poverty and Social Inclusion among agencies
 Lobby local elected representatives and local officials
 Networking with local and national anti-poverty organisations
 Learn from other countries
 EU Joint Inclusion Report – use European Commission’s comments
 Statistics - comparisons with other countries are useful in making arguments
D. Useful Links



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EAPN Ireland NAPincl webpage: www.eapn.ie/policy/23
Combat Poverty Agency: www.combatpoverty.ie
Office for Social Inclusion: www.socialinclusion.ie
European Commission Social Inclusion webpage:
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_inclusion/index_en.htm
EAPN Contact Details: 5 Gardiner Row, Dublin 1; Tel : 01-8745737; Fax: 018781289; Email: [email protected] Website: www.eapn.ie
EAPN Ireland: NAPs Inclusion Briefing July 2007
NAP Incl. Webpage: http://www.eapn.ie/policy/23