Conference Contribution Details
Mandatory Fields
Brid Quinn
Public Sector Responses to the Global Crisis
Paper on impact of the recession on Ireland's third sector for XVII IRSPM Conference
Prague
Non Refereed Paper/Abstract Presented at Conference
2013
()
Optional Fields
10-APR-13
12-APR-13

 
The Euro crisis: a double-edged sword for Ireland’s  community & voluntary sectors

 In 2011, statutory funding comprised 65% of the income of community and voluntary organisations in Ireland (Newman). The impact of the Euro crisis has been a significant reduction in state allocation to the community and voluntary sector (C & V). This has reduced the sector‘s ability to redress the deficits in public services and led to challenges in meeting  those organisations’ base-costs.  In a climate where poverty and social exclusion are increasing, funding issues and the struggle to survive are diverting C & V organisations from their core role of identifying, articulating and responding to emerging social needs. This paper maps the changes that have taken place in the configuration and funding of the C & V sector, it analyses whether the sector’s focus and repertoire of responses have  altered and assesses  whether the value of service delivery to the organisations affects the values of equality and justice which inspired their creation.  In parallel, it examines the changes in  public service funding and focus since 2008. It concludes by assessing how the double-edged sword of recession has impacted on Ireland’s most vulnerable groups by reducing the resources of both the public and community and voluntary sectors

Department of Politics& Public Administration & AHSS Faculty