If social inclusion is to be a hallmark of Irish society in the 21st century, a start must be made now, according to CORI director Father Sean Healy. He was speaking on the eve of a CORI-sponsored conference on Social Partnership in a New Century, which takes place in Dublin today.
CORI (the Conference of Religious of Ireland) was one of the earliest advocates of involvement for the voluntary and community sectors in national agreements.
Partnership 2000 was the first agreement which allowed for formal consultation of these groups in what is known as the fourth pillar. The other pillars of the agreement are the Government, the employers and trade unions and the farming organisations.
With some elements within the trade unions and employer bodies showing increasing restlessness at centralised agreements, CORI is concerned they do not collapse just as the most marginalised groups establish a foot in the door.
Father Healy says CORI accepts "there are different views on how things are done and what the priorities are. This makes it all the more important to establish what vision of the future underpins any new agreement. The vision question is very important." Most people accept that "poverty and exclusion persist" despite the boom. "New questions arise over how to manage the economy and address social rights in a time of prosperity."
Today's conference brings together senior figures from the Irish Business and Employers' Confederation, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the National Women's Council of Ireland to discuss the future of social partnership.
The assistant secretary responsible for economic and social issues at the Department of the Taoiseach, Mr Dermot McCarthy, will also be addressing the conference.
Senior academics including Dr Patricia O'Hara UCC, an expert on rural development, Mr Brendan Kennelly of NUI Galway, an expert on social exclusion, and economist Mr Micheal Collins of the University of Limerick will also attend.