General Election 2020: An opportunity for Ireland to lead by example

The general election on 8th February 2020 provides the opportunity to reimagine Ireland as a political leader on key global issues. Critical issues such as climate change, tax justice, gender equality and migration require visionary leadership, solidarity and a unity that is found by focusing on our shared humanity rather than our differences.

The climate crisis is the most critical issue facing us today and affects many of the communities with which Oxfam works. The rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns associated with a warming planet disrupt livelihoods, while the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts can have a devastating impact on vulnerable communities. Climate change drives immeasurable poverty and suffering. It also stands in the way of people – particularly women – getting the opportunity to enjoy their basic rights and reduces their chances of ever being able to attain them.

Meanwhile, global inequality is out of control and the situation in Ireland is no different. A recent report by Oxfam noted that Ireland has the fifth-largest number of billionaires per capita in the world. Overall, the world’s 2,153 billionaires own more wealth than the 4.6 billion people who make up 60 percent of the entire population of the planet. Despite significant progress in reducing poverty in the last 20 years, recent evidence suggests that the pace of global poverty reduction is now slowing.

Women and girls are most affected by economic inequality. Irish women spend 38 million hours a week on unpaid care work, contributing at least €24 billion to the economy every year – the equivalent of 12.3 percent of the entire annual Irish economy. Globally, women do more than three-quarters of all unpaid care work. Women and girls are putting in 12.5 billion hours of unpaid care work every day, which amounts to a contribution to the global economy of at least $10.8 trillion a year – more than three times the size of the global tech industry. Countless more, both in Ireland and around the globe, are paid poverty wages for care work.

Last April, the Irish Government launched A Better World, an ambitious statement of intent on how Ireland’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme can help create a better, fairer, more peaceful and sustainable world. ODA plays a crucial role in reducing poverty and alleviating vulnerability, as well as responding to rising inequality, increased climate-related disasters and the migration and refugee crisis. However, Ireland still has some distance to travel to reach its target of spending 0.7 percent of national income on ODA.

Involuntary migrations continue apace, with over 70.8 million people being forced to leave their homes due to conflict, persecution and disaster. Ireland has been complicit in a failed system of migration management with the prioritisation of border security over the needs of vulnerable people. Ireland needs to reform its migration policies by sharing the responsibility for hosting refugees and ensuring that refugee family members are united in this country. We must adopt a migration system that is based on human rights and international law – one that promotes inclusivity, transparency and accountability.

To address these issues, we are calling on the next Government to:

• Increase Ireland's development aid budget to 0.7% of national income by 2025
• Implement faster, fairer climate action to meet Ireland's commitments to address the climate emergency and support poorer countries to cope with climate change
• Support sustainability through developing the circular economy
• Invest in our care system to help address gender inequality
• Support a fundamental reform of the global corporate tax system
• Protect those seeking refuge and keep their families together
• Pass legislation to ensure that companies adhere to human rights principles

You can find details of all these asks in our General Election 2020 manifesto.

Michael McCarthy Flynn is Senior Research and Policy Coordinator for Oxfam Ireland.