Major public investment to help people living in poverty should form part of the next national agreement, Combat Poverty said.
The programme should boost public services, such as housing, health and transport, the State anti-poverty agency says in its annual report.
Chairperson Ms Anna Lee says in the report that one in five households has less than half the income of the average household, according to the most recent, 1997, figures. "Our booming economy has led to deepening problems in relation to the availability of affordable housing and childcare."
Combat Poverty is seeking to link a major drive on poverty to any new agreement to replace Partnership 2000.
It should include:
Specific targets to reduce child poverty, to narrow the gap between incomes, to reduce housing lists and to meet the needs of vulnerable groups.
More help for older people who are long-term unemployed.
Education measures, including more early childhood education, a national childcare strategy and more efforts to tackle early school leaving.
Taking the low-paid out of the tax system, substantially increasing personal allowances and avoiding tax changes which widen the gap between rich and poor.
Increasing social welfare payments in line with income increases in the wider society.
Significantly increasing the children's allowance.
"Economic growth on its own will not create a fairer, more just and equal society," the annual report says.
Referring to negotiations on a successor to Partnership 2000, it says that "decisions taken over the next few months will be very important in determining how well we do in seizing the opportunity that now exists dramatically to reduce poverty and social exclusion in Ireland." "It is vital that addressing poverty and social exclusion is put at the heart of both these documents [the national agreement and the National Development Plan]," it says.
The report acknowledges that there is "clear evidence that the number of people experiencing severe and consistent poverty is falling" but says "many people continue to experience poverty and social exclusion and to be excluded on a long-term basis from labour market participation."