Social inclusion on EU agenda

EUROPE should ensure its employment policies enhance social inclusion as well as creating more and better jobs, a meeting with the EU social partners agreed yesterday.

As social ministers from 29 EU, accession and European Economic Area states meet in Galway today, a tee-up meeting of the European social partners yesterday also agreed that social partnership should play a crucial role in achieving the correct balance between job flexibility and security.

Social and Family Affairs Minister Mary Coughlan said it was crucial that a balance be struck between jobs policies and social protection policies.