September '25: Social Justice Newsletter
Welcome to the Social Justice Team Newsletter
Welcome to the Social Justice Team Newsletter. We are delighted to bring you this month's edition. We hope you find it useful and helpful. The newsletter is now available on the SVP website.
In this issue
Introduction
This September got off to a busy start for us with Back-to-School reporting and the return of Ministers to their departments after the summer break. Much of our work will now be focused on Budget 2026, which will take place on Tuesday 7th October.
This year’s budget must be focused on child poverty and policies and decisions must be targeted to those who, we know and have evidenced, need it the most. We will be watching closely on the day and ready to share our thoughts on how the Budget will affect those we support.
Our new National President, Teresa Ryan has announced that Nessan Vaughan will continue as the Chair of the Social Justice Committee. We are delighted to continue working with Nessan and the whole Social Justice Committee Members for the years ahead on the social justice issues that we need to address.
Speaking Up
Education: Back to School
Every year we share our back-to-school figures, this year we were expecting to see a significant drop in calls, listen to this short piece about why we expected this drop in calls and why we think this didn't happen at the same rate as previous years.
- Irish Times
- Ocean FM
- Irish Examiner
- Irish Independent
- Dublin People
- Near FM Interview
Funding for School:
We were one of many signatories in a letter to the Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee, read the full letter and press release here. Within the letter we ask for:
- An immediate increase in the basic capitation rate to at least €299 per pupil
- A substantial increase across all other categories of pupil capitation minor works, ICT and ancillary grant rates
- A detailed analysis of the actual running costs of certain categories of school that are facing additional cost challenges: e.g. developing schools in temporary accommodation, schools with special classes and special schools.
Read the RTE article here: School ceiling tells own story on the state of schools
On Tuesday 2nd September, Louise was interviewed on RTE’s News at One about energy arrears. You can listen back here.
On September 21st Louise spoke on This Week on RTE about the importance of addressing child poverty. You can listen back here.
On Monday 22nd, Louise spoke to Virgin Media News about the importance of the fuel allowance to low-income households.
On Friday 26th September, Louise joined Claire Byrne in studio to discuss budgetary decisions. Other panellists included Minister Jerry Buttimer, Sinead Gibney TD and Sinead O’Carroll from the Journal.
Submissions
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Equality
We were asked by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Equality to make a submission on child poverty and deprivation.
Our submission was very comprehensive and outlined the current drivers of child poverty and deprivation and our proposed solutions. You can read out submission here.
Anti - Poverty Strategy:
Last week, we submitted our response to the Northern Ireland Executive’s consultation on a draft Anti-Poverty Strategy. In our submission, we recommend greater attention to the structural issues driving poverty in Northern Ireland, suggest clearer outcomes and measures to enhance accountability for the Strategy, and broadly encourage the Executive to revisit the Strategy through consultation with the community & voluntary sector and engagement with existing research. You can read our submission here: SVP-Response-to-NI-Draft-Anti-Poverty-Strategy-2025-1.pdf
Policy in Focus
We’ve been hearing from Members about the growing requests for assistance for digital devices for school and secondary school students now in the senior cycle will be working to the reformed curriculum which involves continuous project work which will all be completed digitally and go towards their final marks in the Leaving Certificate.
We created a paper on this, please read here.
We’d like to hear your thoughts on the paper and any experiences you are having in your conference regarding the requests for digital devices for school and if you’ve noticed a growth in these requests this school year. Please email your thoughts and experiences to socialjustice.newsletter@svp.ie
Behind The Scenes
Meeting with Minister James Lawless Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science:
On the 9th of September Rose Mc Gowan, Louise, Niamh and Gill O’Brien President of VDP Trinity Conference met with Minister Lawless, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
We discussed the SVP Education and Training Bursary successes and how it helps people through education and training and the great relationship with SUSI that has been developed between both organisations. We talked through the types of requests for assistance for those in third level education and training and the increase in those looking for support with laptops since the government funding for laptops was one off. We also raised the issue of the accommodation payment for apprenticeships when on their training courses, because the payment hadn't increased in many years and worked at just under €15 per night, which has not increased since 2002. The Minister thanked us for our pre-budget submission; he talked about his preference to targeting those who needed support to get into and stay in further and higher education and training and the importance of keeping a line of communication open with SVP Social Justice on-going.
ESRI:
Directly after our meeting with Minister Lawless we got ourselves to the ESRI at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay to attend the launch on their fifth annual report, in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland, on poverty, income inequality and living standards in Ireland. Click here for the full report.
Pre-Budget Submission to Ministers and TDs:
All Ministers, TD’s and Senators were sent a copy of SVPs Pre-Budget Submission for Budget 2026.
Central Bank:
Along with Nessan Vaughan Chair of National Social Justice Committee and Noel Boyce Information Officer East Region, Niamh and Louise met with Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Colm Kincaid who is responsible for Consumer & Investor Protection. We spoke to Colm about the access to cash consultation and the need for those on lower incomes to have access to cash, and credit facilities. We discussed poor credit because of coercive control and the impact that has on victims moving on.
Child Poverty and Wellbeing Summit :
We attended the annual Child Poverty and Wellbeing Summit
The event was opening address was delivered by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, keynote address from Dr Mike Ryan, Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organisation. During a panel with Minister Jack Chambers, Minister Helen McEntee, Minister Norma Foley and Minister Dara Calleary where amongst other things the budget was discussed, and the need for targeted supports for those who need it.
NI
‘Rising Together Against Poverty’ in Northern Ireland:
On the 2nd of September, Allison travelled to Antrim to attend the Rising Together Against Poverty conference, organized by the Anti-Poverty Strategy Group in response to the Northern Ireland Executive’s draft Anti-Poverty Strategy. The Group outlined its recommendations for a new Strategy, which you can read more about here.
Area Gathering in Ennis:
Allison had the pleasure of attending the Area Gathering in Ennis to discuss the support we provided with a local case and discuss members’ concerns and questions. Threshold also attended to highlight the support they offer to those in the private rental sector and how they can work in partnership with SVP conferences.
Area Gathering in Donnybrook:
Louise attended the Area Gathering in Donnybrook and spoke to members about the upcoming Budget and what is needed to support households in need. We had a lively discussion, and members discussed the changes needed to ensure no-one was left living in poverty.
Katherine Howard Foundation:
Louise was invited to speak at the Children’s Promise Grantee celebration. She joined the Policy Panel chaired by Dr. Fergal Lynch, former Secretary General Department of Children, Equality. The panel included a representative from Cuan, the Child Poverty and Well-Being unit and Effion Williams, a director from TUSLA.
Housing:
Marcella gives provides a response to ‘The Summary of Social Housing Assessments Report. A report waiting quietly to be acted upon.’
The Summary of Social Housing Assessments report was published in Quarter 2 by The Housing Agency. It brings together information provided by Local Authorities on households in their functional area that are qualified for social housing support but whose social housing need is not currently being met.
Whilst they are many reports, publications, debates, and analysis carried out almost every day on our deepening housing and homeless crisis by Government, academics, civil society and many others, this particular report is important for the work that we do in SVP. Please read Marcellas full article here.
What’s on the horizon
On October 6th we will be attending a civil society roundtable, hosted by the RTB (Residential Tenancies Board).
7th of October 2025 is Budget Day. We will be in Buswells Hotel across from Dail Eireann and Head Office, ready to provide media responses to the budget announcements. Louise will be live on News at One on RTE from 12.30 to 3.15pm giving a live reaction to the Budget.
Louise will be speaking at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Equality on October 9th.
We will attend a Civil Society round table with the Central Bank on October 9th.
Newsletter Feedback
If you’d like to provide feedback please email socialjustice.newsletter@svp.ie
For those in NI, please get in touch with the team if you have any items you wish to make them aware of socialjustice@svpni@co.uk
