The Role of Community Development in Tackling Poverty in Ireland A Literature Review for the Combat Poverty Agency

Combat Poverty has consistently advocated community development’s contribution to tackling poverty. Combat Poverty understands community development as a ‘process whereby those who are marginalised and excluded are enabled to gain in self confidence, to join with others and to participate in actions to change their situation and to tackle the problems that face their community’. The Combat Poverty Agency Act (1986) recognises Combat Poverty as a centre for the provision of information and training on community development as a means of overcoming poverty (Section 4.2c) In recent years the role of communities in tackling poverty has been a major component of Irish social policy with several national programmes funded to address social inclusion. Many of these incorporate and promote community development approaches such as the Community Development Programme itself, the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme and the Family and Community Services Resource Centres ’ Programme amongst others. Increasingly, there is an interest and requirement to demonstrate evidence o