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Editor's Notes
McCarthy proposals will break social contract with disadvantaged communities
by Philip O'Connor


Philip O'Connor
The McCarthy proposals will break the 18-year social contract with disadvantaged communities. The Government has not, as yet, endorsed the proposals in the McCarthy Report (Bord Snip Nua) for radical cuts across all areas of social spending.

Given the composition and "secretariat" of the group that produced the McCarthy Report, it can be seen as the wish list of the Department of Finance.  But, as The Irish Times commented, the report "presents a menu of financial options to Government without any reference to the social policy of the state" (Editorial, 17th July). And that is the core issue.

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Employer Forum
Community Sector Employers campaign against funding cuts

Part of the large crowd which attended the community sector protest rally at the Department of Finance, organised by SIPTU with the support of Impact and the CSEF, 3rd June.
The Community Sector Employers Forum (CSEF) has called on community organisations to support the campaign against cuts in services and jobs across the sector. The campaign was launched by SIPTU at a rally attended by 2,000 workers at Liberty Hall on 3rd June. The campaign is set to heat up in the autumn and is also supported by IMPACT.

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Dublin Employment Pact leads employment initiative


As we head deeper into economic crisis and unemployment heads towards halfDublin Mayor Emer Costello with Philip O'Connor and Ger Dorgan of DEP at the launch of the Lord Mayor's Commission on Employment a million, government programmes must change direction to prioritise maintaining existing jobs and creating new employment.

When recovery does come, there will be whole sectors that will not return for many years, and new jobs will be created in novel sectors. Examining this scenario and proposing what action can be taken at the national and regional (Dublin) levels to maintain existing jobs and rebuild employment is the objective of an initiative led by Dublin Employment Pact.

The four local authority areas of Dublin collaborate traditionally only in areas such as planning, waste management and roads. Now, for the first time ever, a new initiative spearheaded by the four Dublin Managers (Dublin City, Fingal, South Co. Dublin, Dun Laoghaire) is putting in place a comprehensive economic development strategy for the region, with Dublin Employment Pact leading the development of its Employment & Skills strand.

WRC Social and Economic Consultants has been engaged to coordinate the research and consultation work, engaging with all relevant agencies, social partners and local development organisations.

Scoping the strategies and programmes in place at a national level, and examining delivery on the ground has been the first part of this work. Consultative panels have been formed to respond to the suggestions emerging, and lay the basis for a road map for the Dublin City Region through the crisis. They will focus on the various employment "areas" - e.g. "high end" employment in the "Creative City", high and low paid employment in the services sector, maintaining the manufacturing base of the city, planning and spatial elements, new and niche sectors, the stimulus potential of the semi-state sector and the role of social enterprise.

It is planned that the strategy will be completed by the autumn and launched in November 2009, with the aim of integrating it into the overall Dublin strategy before the end of the year.

Dublin Employment Pact
The Dublin Employment Pact - Developing innovative solutions for employment and social inclusion in the Dublin Region. Visit our website.
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