Stormont strategy to tackle poverty ‘not fit for purpose’

The first draft strategy agreed by the Northern Ireland Executive to tackle poverty is “not fit for purpose”, according to a children’s charity.

An anti-poverty strategy was first proposed in 2006, with the aim of reducing social exclusion and deprivation.

In March, Stormont’s Executive Committee was found by a court ruling to be in breach of its legal obligation to adopt the strategy.

BBC News NI has now seen a leaked copy of the document, which was agreed by executive ministers earlier in May, but has yet to be made public.

Trása Canavan of Barnardo’s NI, who is also chair of the Anti- Poverty Strategy Group, was among groups who met Communities Minister Gordon Lyons earlier this week about the document.

She said she had “serious concerns that it will not make any difference to the lives of the children, families and communities that our organisations support every day, and we raised this with minister Lyons this week”.

“The current draft of the Anti-Poverty Strategy is not fit for purpose.

“It clearly shows that the government has committed no new actions or funding to tackle poverty in Northern Ireland.”

The 28-page paper sets out the executive’s approach to tackling poverty over the next 10 years.

It outlines efforts already being taken by various departments to help minimise the risks of people falling into poverty in Northern Ireland, as well as reducing its impacts and ways to help people get out of poverty.

The document states that poverty is “not a problem which the executive can solve in isolation”, but one that requires community groups, business, councils and voluntary groups to help.

It adds that the strategy will be accompanied by a programme of delivery to be updated on an ongoing basis.

Ms Canavan added that earlier this year her group had outlined what it wanted to see in the document in order for it to be effective.

“This included clear and time-bound targets, a lifecycle approach, new actions and clear funding commitments, rather than counting work that is already under way.

“Unfortunately, the draft strategy does not meet any of these key principles.

“It is quite simply not good enough for the people of Northern Ireland.

“Our group remains committed to working constructively with the government to eradicating poverty in Northern Ireland.”

The SDLP, Stormont’s official opposition, said it is “impossible to be anything other than deeply underwhelmed” by the strategy.

Mark H Durkan said the executive should be “embarrassed to present a document that reads more like a list of vague hopes than a plan of action”.

The paper sets out measures already being taken by the executive and says it will “continue to deliver a package of welfare mitigations” while lobbying Westminster on reforms and to maintain the triple lock on pensions.

It adds that legislation being brought by Education Minister Paul Givan will ensure all school uniforms are affordable, and that strategies on fuel poverty will be developed.

It also promises that “everyone, including those in or at risk of poverty, has access to good quality, affordable and sustainable homes”.

But Durkan said: “This document acknowledges the direct link between housing and poverty and yet the Executive have confirmed they will only build half of the homes intended this year.

“The strategy also fails to confront one of the most damaging policies hitting low-income families: the two-child limit. Ministers have the power to address these issues, but once again they’ve chosen not to.”

When it was agreed last month by the executive, First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the plan probably could “go further” but denied there was a row between Sinn Fein and the DUP over it.

Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, whose department oversaw the design of the draft strategy, said it had “drawn heavily on the work that has already been carried out”.

The DUP minister succeeded Sinn Féín’s Deirdre Hargey in the role when Stormont was restored in 2024 after a two-year hiatus.

The Department for Communities said: “The draft Strategy reflects the Executive’s priorities in the context of the ongoing fiscal and other challenges we face.

“The minister has listened to a wide range of views ahead of the consultation launch, which will give people from all communities a chance to have their say on how we tackle poverty and transform lives in Northern Ireland.

“Minister Lyons would encourage all stakeholders in this area to provide their feedback when the consultation formally opens.”

It added that officials were working to launch the consultation as soon as possible.