Latest news with #antiPovertyStrategy
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Long-awaited Stormont anti-poverty plan criticised as ‘underwhelming'
A long-awaited Stormont plan to target poverty has been criticised as 'underwhelming'. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons launched an extended 14-week public consultation on the Executive's Anti-Poverty Strategy 2025-35 on Tuesday. He described it as being based on three pillars of minimising risks of falling into poverty, minimising the impact of poverty on people's lives and working to help people get out of poverty. Figures indicated that around 18% of those in Northern Ireland live in relative poverty, and 15% live in absolute poverty, with 25% of children living in relative poverty and 21% of children living in absolute poverty. The strategic commitments from across departments include continuing the Extended Schools Programme, working with partners to scope out an NI Debt Relief Scheme, a commitment to develop an Executive Disability Strategy and a Fuel Poverty Strategy. Speaking in the Assembly, Mr Lyons described a 'legacy of delay' in taking forward an anti-poverty strategy. 'When I took office, I made it clear that one of my priorities would be tackling poverty,' he told MLAs. 'After a legacy of delay in taking this work forward, I wanted to work at pace to develop a strategy which could help make a meaningful difference to those experiencing socio-economic disadvantage in our society. 'I and my Executive colleagues have worked to develop a strategy which we will make progress against and can and will make a difference to people's lives. 'This strategy is the culmination of considerable hard work, collaboration and co-design, and I want to thank all those stakeholders, in particular the members of the anti-poverty co-design group, who have worked with my department in providing their input. 'We often hear about the silo approach in government, but I know that ministers and officials across the executive departments have worked together on the draft in a spirit of co-operation and collective ownership.' He added that targets will come later with an action plan. Mark H Durkan from the official Opposition at Stormont described the document as 'underwhelming'. He contended it didn't just 'call into question the Executive's ability to tackle poverty', but also their appetite and ambition to do so. Mr Lyons hit back, claiming Mr Durkan was 'wrong on every point that he made'. 'It has been 17 years that we have been waiting for this document, and after 17 months in office, I have been able to bring this forward,' he said. Save the Children NI head Peter Bryson also criticised the strategy. 'This document raises serious questions about the Executive's commitment to children, families and communities impacted by poverty,' he said. 'It has no clear priorities, budget, action plan, milestones, or accountability for its delivery. It recycles existing commitments, with no real clear link drawn to a deeply flawed description of the current drivers of poverty.' He said the Executive could have 'opted for a big, bold move like introducing a child payment to lift thousands of children out of poverty'. 'Or strengthened an existing policy like the Childcare Subsidy Scheme to help more families with the cost of childcare access work,' he said. 'Or it could simply have committed to bring together departments, local councils and trusts, organisations working to combat poverty, and children, families and communities experiencing poverty, to work together to address poverty. 'Again, we have to ask, how has a document with no measures to reach its ambition been signed off?'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Long-awaited Stormont anti-poverty plan criticised as ‘underwhelming'
A long-awaited Stormont plan to target poverty has been criticised as 'underwhelming'. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons launched an extended 14-week public consultation on the Executive's Anti-Poverty Strategy 2025-35 on Tuesday. He described it as being based on three pillars of minimising risks of falling into poverty, minimising the impact of poverty on people's lives and working to help people get out of poverty. Figures indicated that around 18% of those in Northern Ireland live in relative poverty, and 15% live in absolute poverty, with 25% of children living in relative poverty and 21% of children living in absolute poverty. The strategic commitments from across departments include continuing the Extended Schools Programme, working with partners to scope out an NI Debt Relief Scheme, a commitment to develop an Executive Disability Strategy and a Fuel Poverty Strategy. Speaking in the Assembly, Mr Lyons described a 'legacy of delay' in taking forward an anti-poverty strategy. 'When I took office, I made it clear that one of my priorities would be tackling poverty,' he told MLAs. 'After a legacy of delay in taking this work forward, I wanted to work at pace to develop a strategy which could help make a meaningful difference to those experiencing socio-economic disadvantage in our society. 'I and my Executive colleagues have worked to develop a strategy which we will make progress against and can and will make a difference to people's lives. 'This strategy is the culmination of considerable hard work, collaboration and co-design, and I want to thank all those stakeholders, in particular the members of the anti-poverty co-design group, who have worked with my department in providing their input. 'We often hear about the silo approach in government, but I know that ministers and officials across the executive departments have worked together on the draft in a spirit of co-operation and collective ownership.' He added that targets will come later with an action plan. Mark H Durkan from the official Opposition at Stormont described the document as 'underwhelming'. He contended it didn't just 'call into question the Executive's ability to tackle poverty', but also their appetite and ambition to do so. Mr Lyons hit back, claiming Mr Durkan was 'wrong on every point that he made'. 'It has been 17 years that we have been waiting for this document, and after 17 months in office, I have been able to bring this forward,' he said.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Stormont strategy to tackle poverty 'not fit for purpose,' says charity
The first draft strategy agreed by the Northern Ireland Executive to tackle poverty is "not fit for purpose", according to a children's charity. An anti-poverty strategy was first proposed in 2006, with the aim of reducing social exclusion and deprivation. In March, Stormont's Executive Committee was found by a court ruling to be in breach of its legal obligation to adopt the strategy. BBC News NI has now seen a leaked copy of the document, which was agreed by executive ministers earlier in May, but has yet to be made public. Trása Canavan of Barnardo's NI, who is also chair of the Anti- Poverty Strategy Group, was among groups who met Communities Minister Gordon Lyons earlier this week about the document. She said she had "serious concerns that it will not make any difference to the lives of the children, families and communities that our organisations support every day, and we raised this with minister Lyons this week". "The current draft of the Anti-Poverty Strategy is not fit for purpose. "It clearly shows that the government has committed no new actions or funding to tackle poverty in Northern Ireland." The 28-page paper sets out the executive's approach to tackling poverty over the next 10 years. It outlines efforts already being taken by various departments to help minimise the risks of people falling into poverty in Northern Ireland, as well as reducing its impacts and ways to help people get out of poverty. The document states that poverty is "not a problem which the executive can solve in isolation", but one that requires community groups, business, councils and voluntary groups to help. It adds that the strategy will be accompanied by a programme of delivery to be updated on an ongoing basis. Ms Canavan added that earlier this year her group had outlined what it wanted to see in the document in order for it to be effective. "This included clear and time-bound targets, a lifecycle approach, new actions and clear funding commitments, rather than counting work that is already under way. "Unfortunately, the draft strategy does not meet any of these key principles. "It is quite simply not good enough for the people of Northern Ireland. "Our group remains committed to working constructively with the government to eradicating poverty in Northern Ireland." The SDLP, Stormont's official opposition, said it is "impossible to be anything other than deeply underwhelmed" by the strategy. Mark H Durkan said the executive should be "embarrassed to present a document that reads more like a list of vague hopes than a plan of action". The paper sets out measures already being taken by the executive and says it will "continue to deliver a package of welfare mitigations" while lobbying Westminster on reforms and to maintain the triple lock on pensions. It adds that legislation being brought by Education Minister Paul Givan will ensure all school uniforms are affordable, and that strategies on fuel poverty will be developed. It also promises that "everyone, including those in or at risk of poverty, has access to good quality, affordable and sustainable homes". But Durkan said: "This document acknowledges the direct link between housing and poverty and yet the Executive have confirmed they will only build half of the homes intended this year. "The strategy also fails to confront one of the most damaging policies hitting low-income families: the two-child limit. Ministers have the power to address these issues, but once again they've chosen not to." When it was agreed last month by the executive, First Minister Michelle O'Neill said the plan probably could "go further" but denied there was a row between Sinn Fein and the DUP over it. Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, whose department oversaw the design of the draft strategy, said it had "drawn heavily on the work that has already been carried out". The DUP minister succeeded Sinn Féín's Deirdre Hargey in the role when Stormont was restored in 2024 after a two-year hiatus. The Department for Communities said: "The draft Strategy reflects the Executive's priorities in the context of the ongoing fiscal and other challenges we face. "The minister has listened to a wide range of views ahead of the consultation launch, which will give people from all communities a chance to have their say on how we tackle poverty and transform lives in Northern Ireland. "Minister Lyons would encourage all stakeholders in this area to provide their feedback when the consultation formally opens." It added that officials were working to launch the consultation as soon as possible. Alliance assembly member Sian Mulholland told BBC NI's Sunday Politics programme that she had been "a bit disappointed" by the draft document. "After the anticipation and the waiting, we had a closed briefing session with our committee to talk through it," she said. She said she believed it showed a "lack of ambition". "We have been waiting so long for it and in the context of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report, the NI Audit's report on poverty and child poverty in Northern Ireland we aren't seeing the recommendations and the lessons that should have been learned from the child poverty strategy making its way into this document," she added. You can watch Sunday Politics on BBC iPlayer. Stormont found in breach of duty on anti-poverty Anti-poverty strategy could 'go further' says first minister
BBC News
08-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Stormont strategy to tackle poverty 'not fit for purpose'
The first draft strategy agreed by the Northern Ireland Executive to tackle poverty is "not fit for purpose", according to a children's anti-poverty strategy was first proposed in 2006, with the aim of reducing social exclusion and March, Stormont's Executive Committee was found by a court ruling to be in breach of its legal obligation to adopt the News NI has now seen a leaked copy of the document, which was agreed by executive ministers earlier in May, but has yet to be made public. 'No new actions' Trása Canavan of Barnardo's NI, who is also chair of the Anti- Poverty Strategy Group, was among groups who met Communities Minister Gordon Lyons earlier this week about the said she had "serious concerns that it will not make any difference to the lives of the children, families and communities that our organisations support every day, and we raised this with minister Lyons this week"."The current draft of the Anti-Poverty Strategy is not fit for purpose. "It clearly shows that the government has committed no new actions or funding to tackle poverty in Northern Ireland."The 28-page paper sets out the executive's approach to tackling poverty over the next 10 outlines efforts already being taken by various departments to help minimise the risks of people falling into poverty in Northern Ireland, as well as reducing its impacts and ways to help people get out of poverty. The document states that poverty is "not a problem which the executive can solve in isolation", but one that requires community groups, business, councils and voluntary groups to adds that the strategy will be accompanied by a programme of delivery to be updated on an ongoing Canavan added that earlier this year her group had outlined what it wanted to see in the document in order for it to be effective."This included clear and time-bound targets, a lifecycle approach, new actions and clear funding commitments, rather than counting work that is already under way."Unfortunately, the draft strategy does not meet any of these key principles."It is quite simply not good enough for the people of Northern Ireland. "Our group remains committed to working constructively with the government to eradicating poverty in Northern Ireland." 'Deeply underwhelmed' The SDLP, Stormont's official opposition, said it is "impossible to be anything other than deeply underwhelmed" by the H Durkan said the executive should be "embarrassed to present a document that reads more like a list of vague hopes than a plan of action".The paper sets out measures already being taken by the executive and says it will "continue to deliver a package of welfare mitigations" while lobbying Westminster on reforms and to maintain the triple lock on adds that legislation being brought by Education Minister Paul Givan will ensure all school uniforms are affordable, and that strategies on fuel poverty will be also promises that "everyone, including those in or at risk of poverty, has access to good quality, affordable and sustainable homes".But Durkan said: "This document acknowledges the direct link between housing and poverty and yet the Executive have confirmed they will only build half of the homes intended this year."The strategy also fails to confront one of the most damaging policies hitting low-income families: the two-child limit. Ministers have the power to address these issues, but once again they've chosen not to."When it was agreed last month by the executive, First Minister Michelle O'Neill said the plan probably could "go further" but denied there was a row between Sinn Fein and the DUP over it. 'Fiscal challenges' Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, whose department oversaw the design of the draft strategy, said it had "drawn heavily on the work that has already been carried out".The DUP minister succeeded Sinn Féín's Deirdre Hargey in the role when Stormont was restored in 2024 after a two-year Department for Communities said: "The draft Strategy reflects the Executive's priorities in the context of the ongoing fiscal and other challenges we face."The minister has listened to a wide range of views ahead of the consultation launch, which will give people from all communities a chance to have their say on how we tackle poverty and transform lives in Northern Ireland. "Minister Lyons would encourage all stakeholders in this area to provide their feedback when the consultation formally opens."It added that officials were working to launch the consultation as soon as possible.
