The theme of this year’s SIF was ‘Reflecting on the Past and Informing the Future of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion.’
Lorraine Lally from Galway works nationally with the Community Law and Mediation Centre and she gave voice to workshop observations relating to families and children. She said they are “suffering more than I’ve ever seen before in my life”.
Read More
The Social Inclusion Forum 2025 was held on May 8 in Croke Park, Dublin. This was the 20th edition of the forum and you might wonder what’s the point in talking, year after year for 20 years. Actually things have changed for the better as John McKeon, secretary general of the Department of Social Protection, pointed out.
Read More
THE emergence in 2024 of far right or populist political figures in Dublin like Malachy Steenson, Gavin Pepper and Gerry Hutch, shows what Ireland’s political future might look like if deprived communities continue to be neglected. That’s one of the findings of Dublin City Community Co-op’s newly published advocacy paper, titled: Poverty and Populism – Is Dublin City a Canary in the Coalmine?
Read More
The Secret Community Development Worker is alarmed to see that the Government’s warm welcome for Europeans fleeing war seems to be waning; Ukrainians are being displaced across the country, weekly payments have been reduced to €38.80, and the €800 per month Accommodation Recognition Payment (for hosts) was cut to €600. This is against the backdrop of Trump’s pro-Putin stance which is distressing for Ukrainians.
Read More
Notes on above figures:
• Figures for 2007-2009 refer to the Community Development Programme and the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme (combined).
• These programmes were amalgamated into the Local Community Development Programme (which operated between 2010 and April 2015).
• This programme evolved into the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) that has operated since 2015.