Author: ATD Ireland

From 9- 11th July 2024, ATD International leadership team member Martin and ATD team Europe Ketty and Pierre spent three days visiting ATD Ireland and getting to know the projects and community here in Ireland. The International Leadership Team “is responsible for coordinating ATD worldwide, both sparking creative initiatives, and helping to sustain the collective will of our members, particularly for those whose commitment is a life-long choice.”  ATD Europe are responsible for co- ordinating actions across ATD teams in Europe outside of France. The week was filled with insightful discussions, community visits, and reflective moments, showcasing the commitment of ATD…

ATD Ireland welcome the opportunity to make a submission for budget 2025. We carried out this piece of work in collaboration with Sister Bernadette who formally led the MESL research.This work draws on from the collaborative discussions had by our Community Activists and Sister Bernadette as Christina prepared to deliver a speech on minimum income at Social Platform's Over the Poverty Line conference at the European Parliament in Brussels in October 2023.  Read more hereATD Ireland submits one proposal -income adequacy -which encompasses the multidimensional nature of poverty.   ATD Ireland requests a €20 increase to the core social welfare rates. Read our full…

Community Activist Craig and ATD Ireland co- ordinator Dann presented the 'Creative Pathways to Participation' project at the Coalition 2030 plenary on Tuesday May 21st at the National College of Ireland.Coalition 2030 are an alliance of over 70 civil society and trade union organisations in Ireland collaborating for domestic and global achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, through multisectoral engagement and collective action.  Coalition 2030 generously funded our project.  Dann and Craig introduced the significance of the project and shared a portion of the film. "We actively believe that all sustainable anti-poverty policy/ strategies must include the expertise experience and knowledge…

“Poverty is a societal issue and it needs to be tackled systemically. Socio-economic discrimination is as real and as painful as all other types of discrimination, and needs to be stopped. Why should someone who is already struggling with poverty, debt, isolation, lack of opportunities, shame, stigma, reduced access to healthcare, then on top of that be discriminated? It is inhumane. This is a denial of basic human rights and highlights the issue of socio- economic discrimination as a non-existent ground in Irish equality legislation. "The reality that people in poverty need to campaign to have the legal right not to…

On Tuesday 7th May we held a beautiful, inspiring event for the launch of our “Creative Pathways to Participation” book and film.  The launch event was about celebrating the rich creative outputs contained within the project and, together, showcasing how it supports the goal to “Leave No One Behind”.  Read and download the entire book, as well as each individual contribution, here. We held the project in Trinity College, with MC generously provided by Professor Dr Joe Whelan.  The launch was held in a lecture theatre in the School of Midwifery and Nursing outside the main Trinity College Campus.  Joe opened…

"What does it mean to feel like you have no voice? To feel like you count for nothing, to feel like you are only defined by your poverty or socioeconomic status. Being hindered by discrimination, stigma and often shame can make participation in the community and society at large extremely difficult. Yet in the anti-poverty sector we speak about participation as a fundamental norm. Sometimes without recognition of how far some people are left behind. There is a paradigm shift needed in our political structures before real meaningful participation can happen. This annual report aims to shine a light on the…

On Wednesday 17th April 2024 the #Addthe10th alliance including representatives from EAPN Ireland, CLM, CAN, ILMI and Community Activist Andrew and the ATD Ireland team met with Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O' Gorman to discuss the urgent need to implement socio- economic status as a ground of discrimination in the equality legislation. Throughout the meeting we discussed the impact of socio- economic discrimination on communities who continue to experience stigma and blame for systemic societal issues.  It was discussed how the issue of socio- economic discrimination intersects with other inequalities and how ultimately the recognition of socio-…

What does it mean to feel like you have no voice? To feel like you count for nothing, to feel like you are only defined by your poverty or socioeconomic status. Being hindered by discrimination, stigma and often shame can make participation in the community and society at large extremely difficult.Yet in the anti-poverty sector we speak about participation as a fundamental norm. Sometimes without recognition of how far some people are left behind. There is a paradigm shift needed in our political structures before real meaningful participation can happen.This annual report aims to shine a light on the brave efforts…

On Tuesday 26th March, ATD Ireland animated a workshop session about the ‘Poverty Aware Practice’ module for the social work students of Trinity College. ATD team was represented by Lorraine, Christina, Andrew, Kye, Jimmy and Paul. This module aims to promote positive practice from activists to social workers that will be helpful within the scope of their future employment.The conversation between ATD community activists and the classroom was with the intention to bridge the gap between people in poverty and social workers. As the workshop started Paul spoke out on the history between this disconnection and that it didn’t belong in…

Over the years, art in all its forms, has been considered as a way of expression. It is a common language that draws feelings and emotions regardless of people's backgrounds. As powerful as it is, art highlights societal issues and spreads love and hope. Indeed, it is one of the most efficient ways to massively spread an idea and gather people on the issue's importance. It creates a strong bond among people and contributes to increasing the audience of messages and their understanding. Moreover, if it translates abstract ideas or concepts such as SDGs, it shares daily testimonies about suffering, and…