Social Impact Assessments (SIAs) are an analytical framework that are designed to examine the demographic profile of public services users, and how they are impacted by budgetary policy decisions. The framework complements existing budgetary impact assessment exercises conducted by my Department and the Departments of Finance, Employment Affairs and Social Protection and externally by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
Social Impact Assessments can be quantitative, measuring the change in incomes as a result of policy, or qualitative, offering a description of how policies affect households’ financial positions. Within the SIA framework, households may be broken down into different groups based on income, economic status, household composition and age.
My Department has been involved in the development of 20 papers published under the Social Impact Assessment framework since 2016, spanning a number of policy areas including health, education, childcare, the labour market and the environment. The details of these papers are set out in the table below. In relation to the bodies under the aegis of my Department, no social impact assessments have been conducted during the specified timeframe.
Additional detail on Social Impact Assessments and the SIA framework can be found at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/615fe5-social-impact-assessment-framework/
Year
|
Title
|
Sector
|
2020
|
Social Impact Assessment – SEAI Programmes Targeting Energy Poverty
|
Environment
|
|
Social Impact Assessment Series Student Grant Scheme (SUSI Grants)
|
Education
|
2019
|
Prevention and Early Interventions Supporting Health and Well-Being in Older Age
|
Health
|
|
Programmatic Interventions for Children, Young People and their Parents
|
Childcare
|
|
Family Services Supporting Children and their Parents
|
Childcare
|
|
Social Impact Assessment (SIA): Acute Mental Health Services
|
Health
|
|
Social Impact Assessment (SIA): Nursing Home Support Scheme
|
Health
|
|
Public Service Obligation (PSO) Funding for Public Transport
|
Transport
|
|
SIA: Equality Budgeting – Relevant Findings from Ex Post Evaluation
|
Expenditure Reform
|
|
SIA: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA)
|
Social Protection
|
2018
|
Dialogues on Effective Prevention and Early Intervention Approaches in Human Services
|
Health
|
|
Early Learning and Childcare
|
Childcare
|
|
Educational Welfare
|
Education
|
|
SIA Series - Assessment of Living Standards during Recovery Period
|
Macro
|
|
SIA Series - Social Housing Supports
|
Housing
|
|
SIA Series - Childcare Supports
|
Childcare
|
|
SIA Series - Female Labour Market Participation
|
Labour Market
|
|
SIA Series - National Minimum Wage
|
Labour Market
|
2016
|
Social Impact Assessment of Targeted Childcare Schemes
|
Childcare
|
|
Social Impact Assessment of General Medical Services Scheme
|
Health
|