The North Antrim MLA said it falls short of delivering the transformative change needed to tackle poverty and its root causes across Northern Ireland.
“An anti-poverty strategy should be a vital tool in addressing not only poverty itself, but also many of the associated pressures on health, education, the justice system, and more,” said Ms Mulholland.
“Unfortunately, this draft strategy is a mediocre first attempt. It ultimately lacks real ambition and needs significant strengthening. The Minister has arrived at this stage following a move away from work previously completed by the Anti-Poverty Expert Advisory Panel and only after court intervention. It overlooks key recommendations and feels more like an effort to comply with a legal ruling than a genuine attempt to eradicate poverty and tackle its root causes.
“In particular, it lacks specific targets, a detailed action plan, and provisions for independent monitoring, measures that would have provided a much stronger foundation for progress. These are points we have repeatedly raised with the Minister, and it is disappointing they have not been reflected.
“Alliance will certainly be contributing to the consultation process, and I urge the sector and relevant organisations to do the same. The lived experiences of those facing poverty must be central to shaping this strategy. We need to see a flexible, fully funded anti-poverty strategy with clear outcomes and targeted interventions if we are to provide real support to those who need it most.
“I hope the Minister listens to that feedback and dramatically restructures this draft as a result.”