A GOVERNMENT agency with responsibility for tackling poverty and promoting social inclusion is to be closed and integrated within a new division at the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
The Office for Social Inclusion currently has responsibility for co-ordinating and driving the Government's social inclusion agenda, such as the national plan to reduce the number of people living in poverty.
Staff at the office, and staff at the Combat Poverty Agency, will form part of the new division at the department which will focus on tackling social exclusion.
A spokeswoman for the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Hanafin, said a new strengthened division would be created by the middle of next year.
This follows the conclusions of a review group established by the Government into the future of the Combat Poverty Agency.
It highlighted what it said were weaknesses in both the agency and the Office for Social Inclusion, and recommended the establishment of a new division within the department.
The new division will incorporate functions of both bodies, according to the department, such as developing and monitoring the social inclusion strategies.
It says the division will also have procedures to ensure the views of non-governmental organisations and people experiencing poverty continue to be available to government.
Some details of the new division were discussed at a social inclusion forum at Croke Park yesterday.
Over 300 participants, representing State agencies and voluntary bodies, were represented at the forum where issues such as childhood care and development, and helping vulnerable people enter the labour force were discussed.
Ms Hanafin told delegates the challenge for everyone was to promote greater social inclusion in what were very difficult times for our economy and society.
"This means ensuring that those who are most vulnerable are protected and have their living standards and access to essential services maintained."
The Minister has faced criticism from Labour over the closure of the Combat Poverty Agency.
Róisín Shortall TD, the party's social affairs spokeswoman, said the Minister was "trying to hide the burial of the agency" in a series of amendments to the Social Welfare Bill before the Dáil.
"We were given to understand that the functions carried out by the agency would be transferred to the Office for Social Inclusion in the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
"However, the amendments tabled by Minister Hanafin make no mention of this. Property, staff, liabilities, legal proceedings are all transferred but, it appears, the functions are simply to cease."
