Seminar Report: “Progressing an Anti-Poverty Strategy”

The Equality Coalition, Barnardo’s NI, and the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network held a joint seminar at Stormont on 28 June 2023 entitled ‘Progressing an anti-poverty strategy for Northern Ireland’. This seminar called for an anti-poverty strategy based on objective need to be a day one priority for the next NI Executive.

Representatives from all NI Executive departments were invited to attend this event, which was sponsored by Emma Sheerin MLA and co-sponsored by Gerry Carroll MLA, Mike Nesbitt MLA, Sinéad McLaughlin MLA, and Kate Nicholl MLA. 

Agenda and Speakers for the Seminar:

1. Welcome – Patricia McKeown, Regional Secretary UNISON
2. Opening remarks from event sponsors – Emma Sheerin MLA, Sinn Féin; Mike Nesbitt MLA, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP); Kate Nicholl MLA, Alliance Party; Gerry Carroll MLA, People Before Profit (PBP); Paul Doherty, Spokesperson for Ending Poverty, Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), representing Sinéad McLaughlin MLA
3. Where is Northern Ireland’s anti-poverty strategy? – Trása Canavan, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Lead, Barnardo’s NI
4. The legal obligation for an anti-poverty strategy – Daniel Holder, Director, CAJ
5. Update on the development of the anti-poverty strategy – George Sampson, Director of Central Policy, Department for Communities (DfC)
6. Panel 1: The view from the Anti-Poverty Strategy Expert Advisory Panel – Goretti Horgan, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy, Ulster University; Pauline Leeson, Chief Executive, CiNI; Bernadette McAliskey, Coordinator, STEP NI
7. Panel 2: Ensuring the voices of people experiencing poverty are heard – Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick, Lecturer in Law, Ulster University; Dr Alexandra Chapman, Lecturer in Social Policy, Ulster University; Nuala Toman, Head of Policy, Disability Action; John Patrick Clayton, UNISON /NIC ICTU
8. Conference Summary – Daniel Holder, Director, CAJ; Patricia McKeown, Regional Secretary, UNISON

The full conference report can be downloaded below.