Stormont ministers are expected to approve Northern Ireland’s first-ever anti-poverty strategy later today. The move comes after a court found the Executive in breach of its legal duty to adopt such a plan.
The obligation to create an anti-poverty strategy was included in the Northern Ireland Act after the 2006 St Andrews Agreement. Despite repeated legal challenges and political delays, no strategy has ever been implemented until now.
In March, the High Court ruled that Stormont’s Executive Committee had failed to meet its legal responsibilities. The court judgment followed a challenge accusing ministers of ignoring long-standing statutory obligations.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons submitted a draft six weeks ago. He called it a “realistic” and long-term plan aimed at tackling poverty and reducing social exclusion. The draft must first be approved by ministers before being released for public consultation.
Following consultation, the final version will return to ministers for sign-off. Only then can Stormont departments begin implementing the plan.
Recent figures from the Department for Communities show 22% of children in Northern Ireland live in poverty. The data also reveals that 23% face relative poverty and 20% live in absolute poverty.
Absolute poverty refers to households whose income falls 40% below the standard set in 2011, adjusted for inflation. Relative poverty refers to households earning below 60% of today’s median UK income.
Trása Canavan, from Barnardo’s and the Anti-Poverty Strategy Group, expressed disappointment over the process. She said civil society organisations were not consulted during the drafting phase.
Canavan noted her group spent years helping to co-design recommendations. They shared a comprehensive 100-page report with the department. However, she told BBC Radio Ulster they haven’t seen the current version or had any communication with the minister’s team.
“We really hoped that would have informed the draft,” Canavan said. “But I can’t tell you what’s in it.”
If ministers approve the plan today, it will enter a consultation phase. After public feedback, Stormont can finalise the document and begin addressing poverty at a structural level.
Campaigners, community groups, and legal advocates will be watching closely. They want to ensure the anti-poverty strategy includes the input, ambition, and accountability needed to make real progress.
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