| EU Social Agenda leaves a lot to be desired |
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CORI Justice has concluded that the 'Renewed Social Agenda' announced by the European Commission falls far short of what is desired if the European Union is to act effectively on a wide range of social issues that need to be addressed if Europe is to be an effective generator of social inclusion. Of particular concern is the failure at EU Commission level to recognise that economic development and social development are two sides of the one coin. Economic development is required if social services are to be adequately resourced. On the other hand good social services are required if economic development is to be sustained. An obvious illustration of the accuracy of this claim can be found in the area of education. If education services are not adequate then economic development will suffer.
CORI Justice welcomes the fact that the European Commission recognises the need for a renewed social agenda to address the changing social realities of recent times. The scale of this renewed agenda, however, is not nearly sufficient to address the problems that need to be addressed. Recent developments in Ireland have highlighted the need to ensure that social inclusion is at the heart of policy development at both a national and an EU level. At present the emphasis on 'Growth and Jobs' is not sufficient to build a Europe that secures what is required for every person to live life with dignity while also protecting the environment. A much broader policy approach is required; an approach that would secure that was sustainable, economically, environmentally and socially.
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