The Combat Poverty Agency is an Irish state agency that works as a advisory body to the government. Set up under the Combat Poverty Agency Act 1986, it is a small organisation with 21 staff based in Dublin.

The aim of the Combat Poverty Agency is to promote a more just and inclusive society by working for the prevention and elimination of poverty and social exclusion. The Agency pursues this aim through the four main functions set out in the Combat Poverty Agency Act, 1986: policy advice; project support and innovation; research and public education.

What is Poverty?

People are considered to be living in poverty if their income and resources are so inadequate as to prevent them from enjoying a standard of living, which would be regarded as acceptable by society generally. This understanding of poverty recognises that people have social, cultural and emotional needs, as well as physical and economic needs. Living in poverty is not just about lack of money, it can also mean feeling excluded, isolated, powerless and discriminated against. The Irish government has accepted this multi-dimensional definition of poverty.

Core Understandings

To achieve its aim the Agency is guided by the following understandings:

• Poverty is a structural problem in Irish society. National and local policies and programmes are key to the elimination of poverty.
• The reduction of inequality and the redistribution of resources and opportunities is essential to combating poverty.
• The involvement, empowerment and representation of those affected by poverty is necessary in order to tackle poverty effectively.
• Partnership between government and the social partners (including the community and voluntary sector) at both local and national levels is vital for effective anti-poverty policies and programmes.
• Tackling poverty involves the promotion of social rights for all.
• Policies and programmes to tackle poverty and promote sustainable development should be complementary.
• There is a need for policies and programmes at a European level which complement local and national policies to tackle poverty and social exclusion.

Strategic Plan

A strategic plan outlining priority areas of work for the Agency is published every three years. During the period 1999-2001 the Agency will influence public policy to combat poverty through policy advice, project support and innovation, research and public education. In doing this it will have four key objectives

• to progress the government’s National Anti-Poverty Strategy. Launched by the Irish government in 1997, this is an integrated strategy that addresses several areas of policy that effect the lives of people who experience poverty and social exclusion, including income adequacy, educational disadvantage, unemployment, rural poverty and urban disadvantage. It is the first integrated strategy of its kind in Ireland.

• to narrow the gap between rich and poor
• to reduce child poverty
• to link peace and the promotion of social inclusion in the context of the political conflict in Northern Ireland and the border areas of the Republic of Ireland (see Peace and Reconciliation below).

The Agency's Work

Policy Advice

• preparing policy proposals to government on aspects of economic and social planning in relation to poverty, e.g. an annual pre-budget submission, responses to green papers, working groups, commissions or task forces, and advice to government departments.
• supporting the Government’s National Anti-Poverty Strategy.
  

Research

• commissioning and publishing research on poverty related issues
• supporting the development of a research infrastructure in Ireland
• formulating policy proposals and monitoring policy and provision at national level
• providing research and evaluation grants to anti-poverty groups and a fellowship awards programme to Doctoral level students in Ireland.
  

Project Support

• supporting local community development as an anti-poverty strategy and acting as a national community development resource centre
• strengthening the anti-poverty infrastructure and assisting groups to make the link between practice and policy
• producing resource materials and supporting training for the community and voluntary sector
• supporting an innovative programme to demonstrate integrated responses to educational disadvantage
• working with local authorities to enhance the anti-poverty focus of their work.
  

Information and Public Awareness

• developing and disseminating accessible information leaflets and publications
• supporting a schools education programme including curriculum development, in-service training for teachers and resource materials
• running a drop-in library with a collection of books, videos, and magazines on poverty, community development and related issues
• promoting media interest and coverage of poverty and related issues
• production of a quarterly journal Poverty Today which is available free of charge
• maintaining a web site (www.cpa.ie)
• running a grant scheme on poverty related issues.

Peace and Reconciliation

The Combat Poverty Agency is also an intermediary body responsible for administering funds under the EU Special Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. These funds are to support projects which will counter social exclusion in the border counties of the Republic and which will promote reconciliation within the border counties and on a cross-border basis with Northern Ireland.

This work is done in partnership with Area Development Management Limited (ADM). CPA and ADM jointly support a full time office in the Monaghan, and a team of development workers in the border counties. More information about this programme is available from:

Peace and Reconciliation Programme,
Europe House, Dublin Road, Monaghan.
Tel +353 047 71340,
Fax: +353 047 71341

More information on the work of the Combat Poverty Agency is available from:

Combat Poverty Agency, Bridgewater Centre, Conyngham Road, Islandbridge, Dublin 8,
Phone: +353 1 6706746
Fax: 6706706
E-mail: info[at]cpa[point]ie
Web site : www.cpa.ie