Communities shattered by years of unemployment and recession should be given priority in the next round of EU Structural Funds, says a report launched yesterday.
The report, by the Community Workers' Co-operative, was launched by the Minister of State for Local Development, Mr Chris Flood. Measures to halt the decline of rural communities should also be prioritised, it says.
The Community Workers' Co-operative represents community development groups throughout the State. The report was produced as a submission to the Government on the forthcoming National Development Plan, on which Ireland's application for Structural Funds will be based.
"Social inclusion and equality are the two core challenges facing Irish society and the Irish economy in the current context of economic growth," Mr Niall Crowley, chairman of the Co-operative, said at the launch in Dublin. "Structural Fund investments must address these challenges. The failure to do so will have negative consequences from a social justice perspective and will serve as a brake on our economic performance."
The report calls for programmes to provide quality training to the long-term unemployed and to tackle early school-leaving.
Educational disadvantage should be a major area for action in the plan. The Early Start preschool scheme should be expanded and more schools should receive extra resources under the Breaking the Cycle programme.
What it calls "the decline of rural Ireland" should be tackled by a broad range of measures. These include encouragement for producer groups made up of small farmers attempting to develop markets, especially in the food sector. An effort should also be made to locate new businesses in rural areas and small towns. The plan should also encourage people on low incomes to participate in tourism and fishing. The continuing experience of inequality by women should also be given priority attention when the National Development Plan is being drawn up, it says.