Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The Roadmap for Social Inclusion was approved by Government on 9 January 2020 and published on 14 January 2020.  It is a whole-of-government strategy with a five-year timeframe and will have a mid-term review to facilitate an evaluation of the impact of the Roadmap commitments.  The Roadmap aims to reduce the number of people in consistent poverty in Ireland to 2% or less, and to position Ireland within the top five countries in the EU under a number of leading social inclusion measures.  Towards this end, the Roadmap contains seven high level goals with 22 specific targets, which will be delivered by 66 unique commitments (actions) across government across the life of the Roadmap.

Implementation of Roadmap commitments is underway with a number either fully achieved or close to completion.  This was achieved against a challenging backdrop with many Departments having to redirect resources during 2020 to address the range of social, health, community and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commitments that have been delivered include:

An additional three weeks of Parent’s Leave and Parent’s Benefit are available to each parent of a child born or adopted on or after 1 November 2019 (bringing the total to five weeks).

The implementation of the National Childcare Scheme.

  Extensions to Hot School Meals programme for 2021.  189 schools, including 171 DEIS schools, were chosen for this programme in 2021.  Hot School Meals funding also continued during the recent Easter holidays.

Publication of new National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025 in December 2020.

The further Education and Training (FET) Strategy 2020-2024 "Transforming Learning" was published on 16 July 2020.

Under the Dormant Accounts Action Plan 2020 the Department of Social Protection had an allocation of €5 million to Support and Improve Employment Opportunities for Carers and Persons with a Disability.  Funding of in excess of €2.3 million was awarded to 17 projects in December 2020.

The establishment of the Labour Market Advisory Council, which plays a key role in advising the Minister and the Government on public policy responses to support the labour market recovery.

The Roadmap also provides for the establishment of a Social Inclusion Roadmap Steering Group (SIRSG) to monitor progress in the implementation of the Roadmap and its commitments across Government Departments.  

This group has been established and is comprised of senior representatives from responsible departments at Assistant Secretary and Principal Officer Level to ensure that implementation of the Roadmap remains on the agenda of each Department.  The Steering Group also includes three external members from the Community and Voluntary sector.  As Minister of State with responsibility for social inclusion policy and implementation of the Roadmap, I am chair of the Steering Group, which has met twice since November 2020.

I also appeared before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands on 23rd March 2021 to update it on progress on the Roadmap to date.  The Roadmap was welcomed by members of the Committee.  There was a high level of interest in delivery on commitments and discussion on how the high-level ambitions of the Roadmap might be reached.

Progress on implementation of the Roadmap commitments will be reported on an annual basis with the production of an annual report and report card on progress against each commitment.  The first annual report is being prepared for publication.  This report will be submitted to the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Equality for consideration, and to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands for discussion.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.