SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan has criticised the Communities Minister’s handling of the long-delayed Anti-Poverty Strategy.
Raising the absence of co-design in the final document with the Minister Gordon Lyons in the Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Durkan said it was an “insult to the sector to academics, experts, charities, and most importantly, to those with lived experience” who were brought in to consult on the strategy.
Foyle MLA Mr Durkan continued: “Most of their effort and their empathy appears to be left on cutting room floor. And while it’s difficult to convey the enormity and importance of tackling poverty, this strategy falls far short of what was expected.
“This issue is about so much more than getting money into people’s pockets. It’s about recognising the wide-reaching impacts of poverty: the toll it takes on physical and mental health, on housing stability, on educational attainment, and even on involvement in the criminal justice system.
“The cost of inaction is enormous both socially and financially, for everyone. Inaction on child poverty alone costs the Northern Ireland economy around £1 billion every year.
“There’s an attitude from some members of the public to switch off when they hear about the Anti-Poverty Strategy or the belief that poverty doesn’t impact them.
“But it does, it impacts all of us. If this strategy is to make any meaningful difference, it must go much further than what’s currently on offer.
“Let’s not forget that this has been dragged out for years. The courts found the Executive to be in breach of its legal duty to implement an Anti-Poverty Strategy.
“While some organisations may have their logos or photos in the inside cover of this document, it’s clear their fingerprints are nowhere to be seen on the content itself. There has been very little true co-design.
“Struggling families are counting on this strategy to make a difference in their lives, if it doesn’t deliver then the entire Executive must take responsibility for that.”
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