Joe O’Brien T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Social Inclusion in the Department of Social Protection, has today opened the grant application process for initiatives to promote awareness of the UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
The UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is on 17th October 2022 and has had international focus since its formal UN adoption in 1992. In Ireland, the day is promoted by the 17 October Committee and All Together in Dignity (ATD) Ireland.
The Department of Social Protection is providing funding to support anti-poverty groups to organise local, regional or national activities to promote awareness of the UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Minister O’Brien commented:
“International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is an opportunity for local community groups and projects to secure additional funding to help in their work tackling poverty and social exclusion. It is also a useful way to remind ourselves that no level of poverty is acceptable or inevitable especially in a developed country like Ireland.”
The funding is open to anti-poverty organisations and groups working with people experiencing poverty at national or local level in the Republic of Ireland. Funding of up to €3,000 is available per project.
The Irish theme for this year’s United Nations International Day for the Eradication of poverty is: Respecting the Dignity of all Humanity: End Persistent Poverty
Minister O’Brien continued:
“It is crucial that we recognise that poverty is still very much a reality of life in Ireland but equally it is crucial that we recognise that this cannot be considered acceptable.
“The Roadmap for Social Inclusion aims to reduce the level of consistent poverty to 2% or less by 2025 and while we have made some progress towards that target I think it’s especially important that society, and especially government, focuses all its policy tools in actually ending poverty.
“I think this initiative should help to focus minds on reaching our goal in government as regards consistent poverty and build public solidarity in focussing our resources towards those most in need.”
Notes to Editor:
Activities which can be funded
Once-off initiatives with a national, regional or local focus that aim to:
- create public awareness of the UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty;
- create public awareness of poverty in Ireland;
- involve people at risk of, or experiencing poverty; and
- express solidarity with the fight to eradicate poverty globally.
A broad range of activities, or combination of activities, will be considered for funding.
The closing date for applications is 19th August 2022.
Full details on the funding initiative and the application process are available on the Department’s website here.