Securing Fairness and Wellbeing in a Land of Plenty 2005-Community and Voluntary Perspective

A Community and Voluntary Perspective Aisling Walsh

In their agreed Programme for Government following the 2002

General Election, the re-elected Government stated: 

“It is the opportunity to build a fair society of equal opportunity

and of sustained prosperity on an island at peace with itself. We

aim to be an inclusive society but there are those who still

remain left out”. (2002:3) 

This “opportunity”, has not however been realised, and Ireland’s

growing prosperity has certainly not produced a fairer society in which

every person’s well being is secured. Despite the substantial resources

which have been available to the Exchequer in recent years, this

country is one of growing socio-economic divides. Many people who

have not benefited from the exceptional developments of recent years,

continue to slide further and further into the poverty trap.