THE “STREET knowledge” provided by State agencies cannot be transported into Government departments in a simple way, Maureen Gaffney, chairwoman of the National Economic and Social Forum, has warned.
Dr Gaffney was speaking at an event to mark the 23-year legacy of the Combat Poverty Agency, which has been integrated into a new unit in the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
A publication, entitled Poverty, Policy and Practice: Combat Poverty Agency 1986-2009, was launched at the event. Dr Gaffney said it raised profound issues about the relationship of State agencies to Government departments and Governments.
“These issues are being raised at a crucial time in Ireland, facing as we are a significant culling of State agencies or their absorption into Government departments,” she said.
Dr Gaffney said the proliferation of State agencies in the last 10 years had brought about unnecessary competition and overlap which meant some rationalisation was justified.
However, she warned that the policymaking role of independent agencies could not be transported in a simple way into large bureaucratic institutions.
“It will not be easy for Government departments because of their nature, to find other ways for this kind of street knowledge to be incorporated in a timely and effective way into policymaking,” she said.
The agency’s first director, Hugh Frazer, said he had serious doubts about the wisdom of abolishing the agency. However, he said it was vital that the new division in the department was a success.
“It is vital that people continue to speak out loudly and clearly about the extent of poverty and social exclusion still existing in a country as rich as Ireland,” he said.
“It is a disgrace that we still lag so far behind the best performing EU member states on poverty and especially child poverty.”
