Social Policy Responses to Covid-19

The on-set of the Covid-19 pandemic has required, and brought about, unprecedented and fundamental changes in many social policy areas.  These changes have been foremost in the delivery of healthcare, but also in education, childcare, nursing homes, housing, social welfare, community supports and justice, including policing.

This section documents the responses that have been put in place in Ireland across these policy areas, with the exception of social welfare which is included in the section on employee supports. For each policy area:

• the changes which have taken place and the measures put in place are described;
• comparisons are made with other countries, where relevant, especially where novel or innovative measures have been implemented;
• lessons learned and shortcomings are discussed; and
• consideration is given to how these social policy areas might evolve post-pandemic.

Over the coming weeks and months, work will be undertaken on the following social policy areas:

• Housing
• Migrants and Ethnic Minorities
• Community Supports
• Gender
• Healthcare
• Education
• Childcare
• Nursing Homes
• Justice, including policing