Government does need to listen, especially to the most marginalised, writes Seán Regan
The belated acknowledgement by the Government parties following the local elections of the need to listen to all sections of society is welcome news to those involved in community work who have seen their voices become increasingly marginalised over recent years.
This has been particularly true for those groups working in solidarity with the most marginalised.
Indeed, over the past two years there have been consistent actions by Government to distance the voices of disadvantaged communities, especially if they are likely to be critical of Government policy.
This anti-inclusion attitude by Government is at odds with views expressed by the Taoiseach that critical opposition makes a constructive contribution to a functioning democracy. In recent years that belief has not translated into action at national and local level. The Community Platform (a network of 26 national anti-poverty and equality organisations) has committed its energies and expertise to successive national agreements to ensure that social inclusion and equality priorities are included in social partnership.
The platform consists of organisations representing the most marginalised in society, including women, lone parents, Travellers and other ethnic minorities, refugees and asylum-seekers, migrants, people with disabilities, older people, homeless people, rural poor, gay and lesbian people, prisoners, people with literacy difficulties, and victims of rape, domestic violence and drug abuse.
The platform has always approached national social partnership in the belief that these groups have a right to have a say in economic and social planning and development, and in the distribution of benefits and gains.
Social partnership provided a mechanism to convert aspirations into tangible benefits for the disadvantaged and excluded.
That fundamental assumption, accepted by Government since Partnership 2000, could no longer be assumed following the Sustaining Progress agreement.
The refusal by Government to pro-actively address poverty or inequality issues led to the Community Platform and the National Women's Council of Ireland being unable to endorse the agreement, while making it clear that they remained committed to social partnership.
Their punishment was exclusion, not just from Sustaining Progress but also from a range of other social partnership processes.
The message seemed to be, if you don't agree with us on everything, you can't engage in anything.
As a result, a range of policy-making forums, including those dealing with poverty and equality, now exclude those with the greatest experience of social exclusion.
This has given rise to several anomalies and inefficiencies. For example, there is now no women's organisation on the equal opportunities co-ordinating committee of the National Development Plan.
At local level, there is even more frustration at Government's refusal to listen to local communities.
Cutbacks to community employment schemes, threatened closures of local hospitals, and changes brought about in the operation of the community development programme have ignored the views of local communities.
In addition, there is widespread confusion and frustration at recent top-down decisions to review and adjust local and community development structures.
This has resulted in increased bureaucracy, and additional administrative work for local groups.
Four years ago, the Government published its White Paper Supporting Voluntary Activity, setting out its policy on its relationship with the community and voluntary sectors.
Central to this was the recognition by Government that the community and voluntary sectors play "a crucial role in a mature democratic society, quite separate to and independent of the institutions of Government".
This policy has been systematically sidelined and undermined over the past two years.
It seems that the Government decided two years ago that it would no longer listen to or support groups that criticised its policies.
Yet the State has set goals to promote equality and diversity, and address poverty and social exclusion. These are articulated in a range of Government policies, including the National Development Plan and the National Anti-Poverty Strategy. These goals will not be realised unless there are independent, articulate voices pushing the State to meet them.
Powerful, well-resourced interests ensure that competitiveness and productivity remain high on the Government agenda.
It is essential for a healthy democracy that those calling for a more socially just and equal society are also supported and heard.
Structures that evolved over many years to support marginalised communities are in the process of being dismantled on the basis of a simplistic analysis that ignores the wealth of experience and knowledge built up over many years.
The community and voluntary sector is anxious to promote greater co-ordination and coherence, but rejects the use of spurious efficiency arguments to exclude and diminish a sector that promotes social justice and equality.
In the aftermath of the elections, the Government has acknowledged the need to address the widespread concern that it has neglected social justice and inclusion. It must ensure that those struggling on the margins of society are heard, not merely as recipients of services but as communities entitled to a meaningful say in all decisions that affect them.
A number of years ago, Bertie Ahern spoke about the value of the "creative tension" that comes from having an articulate and autonomous community and voluntary sector. The local election results suggest that this Government has forgotten that maxim.
Seán Regan is national co-ordinator of the Community Workers Co-operative. The CWC acts as secretariat of the Community Platform.