Sustainability

Time for a New Social Compact

Friday, 4 December 2020

As societies and economies across the globe respond to the Covid pandemic, Ireland has the opportunity to execute a strategy which can address the major structural challenges from both the present and pastand set out a strategy and a blueprint for a better Ireland.

Time for a New Social Contract – Policy Options for a More Equal Society

Wednesday, 2 December 2020

Covid-19 has highlighted things that are profoundly amiss with our Social Contract. Once the pandemic has been addressed successfully it is crucial that we face up to the radical reforms that are required if we are to deliver a new social contract based on the principles of justice and fairness, with sustainability at its core.

Social dialogue and social contract in a world at fever pitch: what are the chances?

Monday, 30 November 2020

How normal was the world before Covid-19? The last decade has been anything but normal – whether viewed at national or European level, or in broader geopolitical terms. We, as a planet, face a choice between attempting to develop responses cognitively through a new dialogue, political and social, or simply marching on, brainless, based on some notion of the old normal.

Ireland and Europe: the urgent need for a social, economic and ecologically just transformation

Wednesday, 25 November 2020

There is an urgent need for ambitious, cohesive and transformative economic policies and for Europe’s need to face challenges collectively, and in solidarity. But Europe must do more. The upcoming challenges are daunting: not just the ecological and economic failure brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and the risk of a debt-deflationary downward economic spiral, but also the economic divergences that have led to the rise of anti-Europe sentiment, nationalism and populism; and the grave, even terrifying ecological risks that transcend borders.

A Fairer Future requires A New Social Dialogue Building a Better Future Social Justice Ireland’s Annual Social Policy Conference

Wednesday, 18 November 2020

“Ireland, and indeed the planet, face several crises ranging from pandemic to pollution to poverty; a situation where ‘business as usual’ can mean only social and environmental catastrophe. We have reached a point where adoption of a new Social Contract is surely a necessity. All sectors of Irish society should be engaged in an ongoing Social Dialogue to decide how best to proceed” –stated Dr Seán Healy, in his opening address to Social Justice Ireland’s annual policy conference today (Wednesday, 18th November).

Social fairness and solidarity vital to European recovery

Monday, 16 November 2020

Social fairness and solidarity are more important than ever in the European Union if it is to meet the challenges of demographic ageing, climate change and digitalisation and deal with the aftermath of Covid-19. This is according to the latest 'Employment and Social Developments in Europe Report ‘Fairness and Solidarity in the European Social Market Economy’.

President Higgins "Delivering a Just Transition for All"

Wednesday, 11 November 2020

2018 03 27 br sjh with president and mrs higgins 2

On Thursday, 29th October 2020, the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, delivered a speech to the EEAC / NESC Annual Conference on the need for a "Just Transition for All". This speech echoes the themes of our own Annual Social Policy Conference on the need for a New Social Contract, a New Social Dialogue, taking place next Wednesday, 18th November 2020 from 10am. Registration for each of the three sessions is free and open now.

Agriculture and the environment on the island of Ireland

Monday, 9 November 2020

Social Justice Ireland was delighted to contribute to The Journal of Cross Border Studies in Ireland: Volune 15 2020 on the theme “Convergences and Divergences: Agriculture and the environment on the island of Ireland'.

The Census Population from an Environment Perspective 2011 and 2016

Friday, 30 October 2020

Yesterday (29th October 2020) the CSO published the latest report on The Census Population from an Environment Perspective 2011 and 2016. As the name might suggest, this Report delved into the Census data for 2011 and 2016, to analyse the trends around housing energy use. The results are interesting and highlight a willingness of households to move to more sustaiable home heating. For low income households however, they also underpin the need to have more focused action on retrofitting older homes and increasing energy efficiency.

Budget 2021, Carbon Tax and Just Transition

Monday, 19 October 2020

Social Justice Ireland welcomes progress in Budget 2021on carbon tax, and the commitment to ringfence this revenue for sustainability measures. However we are still a considerable distance from a Just Transtion and the compensation meausures in Budget 2021 are not as comprehensive as they could have been.