The report states that,
"improving health and wellbeing is also likely to be compounded by financial pressures experienced by other government departments
whose policies will impact on health.”
Workers’ Party
spokesperson, Justin O’Hagan, praised many of the initiatives outlined in the Report, which have improved the health
and well-being in poor communities. “For example”, Mr. O’Hagan
explained, “Recognising that people
who are poorer or disadvantaged are more likely than those better off to die younger and have problems with illness and disability,
the Public Health Agency is working in 10% of Northern Ireland’s most deprived regions which are identified as ‘neighbourhood
renewal areas’ in order to improve the health of people in those areas. 900 people participated in these schemes and
the outcomes have been very positive, with 70% of participants saying they had developed new skills. As well as this, just
under a half of participating households reported they had changed lifestyle habits, and a third reported increased levels
of exercise.”
“As workers and as socialists we in the Workers’ Party have nothing but praise
for such initiatives”, Mr. O’Hagan continued, “but we recognise that they can only go so far, given the
extent of poverty in Northern Ireland. The Parties in the Stormont Coalition claim
that their hands are tied but there is much that they could do if they had the political will.”
Drawing on research by Goretti Horgan and Marina Monteith published by the Joseph Rowntree
Foundation, the Workers’ Party calls on the Stormont Parties to make a real commitment to the following areas of change:
Increase the supply of well-paid, good quality jobs:
Cutting in-work poverty
is essential to move more working families out of poverty and to make employment more attractive to those on benefits. The
Assembly should insist that Invest Northern Ireland cease promoting the region as a low-pay economy.
Support those already in work to increase their qualification levels:
At present, those who
are in low-paid jobs are least likely to get training. The region needs jobs which offer training and progression. Employers
need to facilitate employee training opportunities, working with employers and parents to develop skills and qualifications
to help low-paid workers out of the no pay-low pay cycle. Stormont needs to work with employers and their organisations to
ensure that all work provides training pathways to improvement.
Address the lack of quality affordable childcare:
The scarcity and high
cost of childcare in Northern Ireland
clearly makes it more difficult for parents to engage in paid employment. As researchers Horgan and Monteith note, there are
a number of ways in which the Stormont Assembly could address this:
* increase the provision
of subsidised childcare to make it affordable to all;
* extend the hours provided
under the offer to all three- and four-year-olds of a nursery place;
* expand SureStart childcare
provision to 20 hours a week; and
* commit to providing
a children’s centre in every community
Investment in childcare
will bring a range of benefits, including the creation of much-needed jobs in childcare.
Provide access to leisure and social activities for poorer young people:
The Executive needs to
develop a Youth Action Plan, which should include greatly increased investment in youth services, particularly in the most
disadvantaged areas, to provide young people with positive role models within their communities. It must also address ways
of giving poorer young people access to positive social and leisure activities.
Issued: 24th July 2012
Reports
Director of Public Health
annual report 2011, by the Directorate of Public Health, Thursday, 14 June 2012.
Online at http://www.publichealth.hscni.net/publications/director-public-health-annual-report-2011
What can we do to tackle
child poverty in Northern Ireland? By
Goretti Horgan and Marina Monteith, 12 November 2009.
Online at http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/child-poverty-in-northern-ireland
