The social welfare legislation was consolidated and reformed in 1952. There were incremental developments from then onwards. There was severe immigrant, employment and immigration to the 1950s. 1951 saw the introduction of a contributory old age pension. Children’s allowance was extended to the first child in 1963. The second Program for Economic Expansion 1963 sought to improve social welfare services in line with improvements in […]
A series of official and unofficial enquiries in the first decades of the 19th century presented a picture of widespread and severe deprivation. It has been claimed that the conditions in Ireland were the worst in Europe, although this is disputed. There is evidence of higher nutritional standards and well-being , but poorer housing and clothing than in other countries. Prior to 1838, no governmental […]
The famine affected all parts of the country, but the south and west were particularly badly affected. The majority of the population depended on the potato. When the potato blight first appeared, public works were established to provide employment and addition of food supplies were imported. Relief committees were established under the central temporary relief commission in 1845. The poor law guardians were instructed to […]
After the famine, outdoor relief was abolished or reduced to minimum levels. The Poor Law Commissioners and guardians attempted to revert to their pre-famine role. The medical profession sort of limit the expansion of Commission’s role in medical matters. The Medical Charities Act 1851 established dispensaries funded by the Poor Law rate and administered by local committees. They comprised poor law guardians and certain property […]
The 1903 Vice-Regal Commission was appointed on Poor Law reforms. A Royal Commission in 1905 was appointed in respect of the United Kingdom as a whole. Both reports recommended significant reform, but due to opposition from various sectors, this did not occur. Meanwhile Central Government was enacting separate provisions to alleviate poverty and distress. The Workman’s Compensation Act 1897 provided a mandatory system of social […]
An important reform was the establishment of the Departments of Health and Social welfare in 1947. They recognized these areas as distinct policy areas with separate ministerial responsibility. Irish society at the time was much more agricultural and rural based than the United Kingdom. The resource is available to government who are much lower, and the Irish equivalent of British reform were shaped in that […]