Publications for 2003
November 2003
6th Newsletter on Social Inclusion - October 2003
I am pleased to introduce this volume, which contains excellent summaries of both the submissions and the seminar proceedings prepared by independent consultants.
I am heartened that the broad approach being taken in the plan is in line with that sought by the participants in the process. There are also new challenges identified, many suggestions and proposals for further development of policy and priorities for action. I am pleased that these are all now on record.
This second National Action Plan (NAPs/incl) represents not just a Governmental, but a societal response, to the challenge of combating poverty and social exclusion. It is the product of wide and intensive consultation with the social partners, the community and voluntary sector and many other interested parties. I wish to pay tribute to so many who gave their time, expertise and commitment to shaping the analysis and policies that make up this plan.
I would like to welcome the publication of the Strategy Statement of the Department of the Taoiseach for the period 2003 to 2005. It is important that all Ministers and Departments review their strategies and objectives on a regular basis, and the appointment of the new Government has provided a useful opportunity to do so.
One year ago the Irish people gave Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats a renewed and an enhanced mandate for Government. We stood for election on a proud record. But our case to the people was based not on past achievements. It was based upon future plans. The mandate that the people gave is not for what we have done. It is for what we had yet to do.
Fifth Newsletter
This report brings together the key findings of the Steering Group on Social and Equality Statistics which met regularly between April and November 2002. The Steering Group was established to undertake a scoping study of what needed to be done to develop Irish social and equality statistics so that they could meet current and impending policy needs. There were two particular emphases in the Steering Group’s work: identifying data within existing administrative records that could be used to build social statistics; and asking those directly involved in policy making in government departments and agencies to identify their precise data needs in the context of the growing importance of evidence-based policy making.