The elimination of poverty, as well as the protection of social, economic and cultural rights, should be made an objective of the European Union, the National Forum on Europe was told yesterday.
The call was made by the director of the justice office of the Conference of Religious in Ireland, Father Sean Healy, who said it was important to acknowledge that there had been much progress on a range of social issues within the EU.
"However, the social dimension is very much the Cinderella component of the EU's activity," he added. "There are, for example, directives on issues as detailed as the presentation of duck eggs, while there is nothing comparable concerning, for example, the need to ensure that every man, woman and child has sufficient income to live life with dignity."
The forum, which held its 31st plenary session, in Dublin Castle, was told by the general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), Mr David Begg, that social policy could not be considered in isolation from economic and monetary policy.
"The Lisbon strategy on employment, for example, clearly has a bearing on the potential standard of living of European citizens as does the remit and policy of the European Central Bank," he added.
"The primary concentration of the bank is price stability whereas economic growth and jobs would benefit, in a broad European sense, from monetary loosening. Equally, it is important to note that, while deflation is a potential problem in some European countries, inflation is a problem in Ireland."
The Dublin Labour MEP, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, said that the objective of social inclusion, which would require effective policies to combat poverty, was of real significance in a union which would have a greater range of economic and social circumstances.
"Poverty is a denial of human dignity and human rights and runs counter to the union's fundamental values," he said.
The Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr Dick Roche, said the principal task of the European Convention must be to address the sense of disconnection between the union and its citizens. "Clearly, social issues are of enormous concern to citizens right across the EU," he added.
