Some of the largest organisations representing marginalised groups claim they are being "excluded" from key negotiations on future social policy.
Groups such as the Simon Communities of Ireland, the Irish Traveller Movement, the National Women's Council of Ireland and the Community Workers' Co-operative are expressing "alarm and concern" at being "left on the outside" of social policy planning since their refusal to sign up to the social partnership deal, Sustaining Progress, in March.
The Community Platform, which represents 26 community and voluntary groups dealing with disadvantage, rejected the partnership agreement. It is one of eight members of the Community and Voluntary Pillar (CVP)which attended the partnership negotiations.
Five members of the CVP endorsed the agreement, including the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, which did so in a "qualified" fashion, and the Society of St Vincent de Paul, which said it did not "like this so-called partnership agreement one little bit".
Mr Sean O'Regan, secretary to the Community Platform (CP), said "no one in the group was happy with the agreement and we decided as a group there was nothing in it to endorse for the groups we represent".
However, he continued: "We believe social partnership is an important way of working. Our stance was not about rejecting partnership."
Ms Noeleen Hartigan, policy officer with the Simon Communities of Ireland, a member of the CP, said the group "could not ratify Sustaining Progress as it offered no meaningful solutions to tackling homelessness and poverty".
It was not the intention of the charity, however, to walk away from social partnership. She said residents, volunteers and staff were canvassed on this issue in the days following Simon's rejection of the new partnership deal.
"The unanimous decision was that we were committed to the social partnership process and that we would wish to continue working with Government in as many areas as possible. And we communicated that to the Department of the Taoiseach."
Among the immediate implications was that Simon looked set to be excluded from the forthcoming review of the National Homelessness Strategy, she added.
"Government seems to be saying that if we don't play ball we are out."
The National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI), which represents 169 women's organisations, did not ratify the agreement because it "does not in any way progress equality for women".
Ms Orla O'Connor, spokeswoman for the NWCI, said it was now "being excluded from a number of different areas", adding the council was particularly concerned at being excluded from the monitoring body for the National Development Plan.
"The monitoring body on the NDP, which looks at things related to social inclusion and equality, now has no women's representation. That is very significant and very worrying."
Mr Thomas McCann of the Irish Traveller Movement said it was "very much in favour of social partnership. We are concerned the groups we represent are now going to be excluded from crucial areas."
A spokeswoman for the Government said last night that partnership was "all about who's signed up and who's involved and we have to move forward on that basis".
"That's not to say groups with expertise in particular areas will not have access to Government though other avenues, and indeed in areas such as homelessness, the input of groups with expertise in that area would be not only desirable but essential."
