Sustaining Progress - Department of Taoiseach

Chapter 1 Sustaining Progress
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1.1 The Agreed Objective of the Agreement
The shared overall goal for this new Agreement covering the period 2003-2005 is as follows:
To continue progress towards the realisation of the NESC vision for Irish society in terms of:
■ economic inclusion based on full employment;
■ consistent economic development that is socially and environmentally sustainable, social
inclusion and a commitment to social justice; and
■ continuing adaptation to change;
In this period of considerable uncertainty, to do this by sustaining economic growth and maintaining
high levels of employment and securing living standards for all, while strengthening the economy’s
competitiveness and thereby its capacity to resume trend growth in more favourable international conditions.
This goal is set within the context of the more medium-term goals set out in the recent NESC Strategy
Report and the reality of a fiscal environment in which current resource constraints have implications
for prioritisation and timeframes for delivery across all policy areas and programmes.
1.2 Background
In its 1999 Strategy Report, the NESC proposed a vision for Ireland. It argued that the foundations of a
successful society are:
■ a dynamic economy, and
■ a participatory society,
■ incorporating a commitment to social justice,
■ based on consistent economic development that is socially and environmentally sustainable,
■ which responds especially to the constantly evolving requirements of international
competitiveness, understood as the necessary condition of continuing economic and
social success.
The achievement of the NESC Strategy vision has several dimensions, or longer-term goals, shared by
both Government and the social partners. The innovative approach adopted by Government and the
social partners in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF) sought to translate the Council’s
vision into reality by seeking to identify and highlight key new policy initiatives that had been agreed
as necessary to achieve these goals. More importantly, the Agreement sought to provide a focus to
and basis for social partner involvement with the relevant Government Departments and Agencies
in the development of polices and the solution of problems in key areas.
1.3 The NESC Vision 2002
The NESC in its 2002 Strategy Report - An Investment in Quality: Services, Inclusion and Enterprise,
reiterates the vision for society outlined in 1999 but also highlights the vulnerabilities of Irish
economic development and Ireland’s enduring economic and social challenge. The Report concludes
that, “as a regional economy, Ireland must retain and develop high value economic activity”, meaning
that we have to focus on what is necessary to make the economy: