Labour Launches Fair Deal Policy

Sans the Fine Gael logo—doubtless in response to the identity issues which have plagued Labour—Labour launched their policy on poverty in Ireland this evening (Fair Deal: PDF). It is for us to suppose that there is little in it that Fine Gael disagree with, including the use of relative poverty as the measure. The initial argument suggests that the Celtic Tiger economy can live alongside social commitments to tackling poverty and welfare, since the Tiger itself is a product of social partnership.

There is much in the preface and introduction to suggest that this is an exercise in staking out an identity for Labour after a few months where the dividing lines with Fine Gael were hard to discern and the Labour Youth conference which voted against the pact two weeks ago.

For Labour, on the other hand, poverty raises a basic ethical question, about rights, distributive justice and the real meaning of citizenship. Labour belongs to a tradition that stands for rights and universalism and promotes social inclusion and solidarity between all members of the community as fundamental values.

Our founding principle is that all members of the community have the inherent right to have basic needs met.

That should keep party people happy for the time being, but one wonders if the perpetual campaign of modern politics means that Labour’s identity is already pretty set in the minds of the electorate? Personally I reckon there is enough time for them to make headway but the coming polls will tell a lot about how much of the fate of Labour is set already.

The policy itself is in Labour’s words a “Marshall Plan for disadvantaged areas.” The figures for at-risk poverty—20%—and consistent poverty—7%—suggest that in the region of 1 in 7-10 people are struggling today. The Labour plan seems to be about targeting the areas hardest hit with a system of benefits, projects and incentives which can alleviate some of the social fundamentals leading to poverty. The policy takes a leaf from early Blair by focussing especially on the rate of child poverty in the country and its prevalence in one-parent families and particular areas of society, i.e., it tends to be concentrated.

Harrington wrote that there was “a language of the poor, a psychology of the poor, a worldview of the poor. To be impoverished is to be an internal alien, to grow up in a culture that is radically different from the one that dominates society.” All of this can be said also of the poor, the deprived and marginalised in Ireland—they also are “internal aliens” in a new land of plenty. Ireland needs its War on Poverty, with a war on child poverty and addressing the deprivations of the aged given the highest priority.

So the argument runs for minimum standards of living in order to rid Ireland of the internal alien mentality which is brought on by extreme poverty and exclusion (in the region of 7%-20%, depending on your statistical preferences). What is to be done?

The scheme is looking to target the specific areas for a “better deal,” which includes a ring-fenced 5%+ of the NDP for infrastructure and targeted labour market initiatives, “youth diversion,” and focus on community policing. A new early-start programme (sure-start?) with open-schools and increased funding for children who need it.

The reason this post is so long is it’s actually quite hard to turn into post-bites, the policy is a comprehensive read, taking poverty and inequality in a wider context and committing to tackling a number of causes while promoting education and jobs. That is a tough call in my book. A Blair-style focus on child poverty and welfare—it’s all about the children—coupled with commitments to communities left behind.

The punchline to all this, its cost?

As a priority and resources permit, whether from general taxation, the Dormant Accounts Fund, the Social Finance Initiative to be developed by the banks in lieu of the Bank Levy, and the National Lottery, will be marshalled and progressively increased in a co-ordinated, transparent manner in our War on Poverty.

It’s disappointing not to have costs attached, although Breaking News quotes €3.5 billion.

I wonder how much clear blue water this is designed to put between Labour and Fine Gael. I can’t say I’m not supportive of that notion nor the broad commitments of the policy.