The Beginning of a Toxic Legacy

Published: Wednesday, September 29, 2010

A feeling of outrage pervaded the atmosphere at the Community Employers Sector Forum seminar which took place on 15th September in Liberty Hall Dublin.
Members from the voluntary sector along with representatives from IMPACT, Siptu and ICTU came together to form a formidable force fighting in the face of the on-coming budget-cuts with a new campaign called "Community Sector - A cut too far."
Kevin Callinan, Deputy General of Siptu, set the tone for the seminar when he spoke about the "toxic legacy" cutting volunteer funding would leave in its wake for years to come.
The seminar was organised to address possible cuts in the voluntary sector and the impact this would have on society as a whole. A report commissioned by Siptu, the Harvey Report, showed damning evidence of the impact of the anticipated reduction in the sector of 15% by 2011. If the sector shrinks at such an alarming rate, it could lead to the loss of almost 5,000 jobs. 5,000 jobs that cannot afford to be lost and services that need to be kept in place.
In Ireland, voluntary and community organisations date back over a hundred years and they fulfil a vital role in Irish society and culture. There has always been an appreciation of their work and the role they play in providing and protecting the vulnerable. But in these cut-throat times, the sector and the people working in it have begun to feel devalued.
Tom O'Connor from the Cork Institute of Technology believes a positive attitude toward the sector should be taken. Rather than cutting, he spoke of "lobbying the government to create more jobs."
Cathleen O'Neill, a representative from the National Community Development Forum, declared these cuts as "the culling of an entire class" and warned the government of the effects on "the most vulnerable".
Maureen Kelly, Chairperson of the CSEF and Company Secretary of the National Women's Council of Ireland, finished the seminar with the ominous declaration. "The prospects for future generations of people in marginalised communities are being gambled away as we speak."

By Michelle Culbert