The Irish Local Development Network (ILDN) is the representative body for Local Development Companies (LDCs) and in September it outlined ten recommendations which – if social inclusion is to be a priority – all political parties and the new government should embrace.
1 – Value community development
Make an overarching commitment to value the practice of community development and the principles of collectivity, subsidiarity, inclusiveness, and empowerment.
2 – Recognise that the community sector delivers
Recognise the vital role that the community and voluntary sector, and in particular the local development sector, plays. It delivers key services and enables the government to uphold its commitments to a society that is just, inclusive, and fair.
3 – Community-based climate programmes
It calls for commitment to initiating a new community-based climate programme, founded on the principle of a Just Transition. It should have a dual focus on grassroots animation and engaging marginalised and vulnerable groups.
Putting “Boots on the ground” – personnel to build grassroots capacity through mentoring, technical assistance and other kinds of early-stage developmental support – rather than grant-giving, should be the main intent of this programme.
4 – Rural vision
Work to advance the objectives of the EU’s long-term vision for rural areas at both national and European level. (See opposite page).
5 – Invest in youth to stem urban inequality
Approach urban inequality in a targeted, strategic, and holistic way.
The ILDN points out that inequality is most pronounced in densely populated urban areas, and that disadvantaged urban communities are disproportionately impacted by problems linked to crime, drugs, homelessness, unemployment and dereliction. It calls for ramping up co-ordinated investment in housing, services, and youth diversion supports.
6 – Support people on low income
The ILDN wants more support for those in low-paid work, including: (a) Measures to continue narrowing the gap between the minimum wage and the living wage; (b) Linking medical card eligibility to a person’s earnings, rather than only to the number of years since a person was employed.
Provide employment supports for people who are distant from the labour market.
The supports should be person-centred and sensitised to the multiplicity of needs that people often have. As a first step, the one-year limit which applies to Tús placements should be removed.
8 – People with disabilities NEED ACCESS to work
Expand employment services for people with disabilities, ensuring that the design of those services is underpinned by the principles of agency, dignity, and holistic wellbeing.
9 – Early years care and education
Strengthen parenting and childcare supports for disadvantaged and low-income households. This should include a review of core funding rates for providers in the Early Childhood Care and Education Sector.
There needs to be a long-term plan for improving pay and conditions in the sector, and an exploration of the viability of a publicly funded system for early childhood education and care.
10 – Plan for inward migration
The government needs to recognise that:
(i) inward migration is likely to become more prevalent in the years and decades ahead, particularly as climate change accelerates;
(ii) the provision of asylum is one of our international responsibilities, and;
(iii) migration is a necessity for the effective functioning of our economy and society.