Report Card 2011 was published on 24 January 2011. For the second year running, the Government’s poor performance was reflected in an overall D minus grade.
Three F grades (FAIL) were awarded in the areas of alcohol, financial support for families, and Children First guidelines. The best grades were awarded for work undertaken in early childhood education and care and social work provision, both receiving a B grade.
Report Card 2011 outlined 36 immediate actions the Government needed to take to deliver on its own promises. While some of these actions were dependent on increased funding, 15 – almost half – required no additional money. We called on departments to work together, processes and practice to be reformed, transparent decision-making and increased monitoring and accountability.
With a General Election on the horizon, the Alliance called on all political parties to join the vision of making Ireland one of the best places in the world to be a child and to ‘make it real’ in their manifestos.
The Report Card 2011 was graded by an external panel of which the following were members:
- Justice Catherine McGuinness, President, Law Reform Commission (pictured).
- Tom Collins, President, National University of Ireland, Maynooth;
- Pat Dolan, Director of the Child & Family Research Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway and UNESCO Chairholder in Children, Youth and Civic Engagement;
- Sheila Greene, Director, Children's Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin;
- Sally Anne Kinahan, Assistant Secretary General, Irish Congress of Trade Unions;
- Danny McCoy, Director General, Irish Business and Employers Confederation represented by Alan O'Kelly
Read Report Card 2011 in full.
Read the Report Card 2011 Executive Summary.
Read Report Card 2011 launch press release.
View Images from the launch of Report Card 2011.