Following agreement among the social partners in July 1998 on a pilot poverty proofing system to assess all significant policy proposals for their potential impact on the poor, the Government adopted this process in official Cabinet procedures. Given its multi-dimensional nature, poverty cannot be solely the concern of one Department. Each Government Department has a responsibility and an obligation to ensure that its policy proposals are poverty proofed.
To assist in the implementation of poverty proofing, the national anti-poverty strategy unit based in my Department, produced a set of guidelines on poverty proofing and worked examples which were distributed to all Government Departments last year. The unit has also met liaison officers in all Government Departments and discussed poverty proofing with them in order to assist with any difficulties.
All memoranda for Government and key policy initiatives upon which significant policy decisions have to be made are required to be poverty proofed and this has been the case since late 1998. In relation to my Department's preparations for the budget, key principles of the national anti-poverty strategy are built into the development of the social welfare budget package from the start and influence the development throughout. Documents outlining the proofing of the social welfare budget package will be available to anyone who expresses an interest from budget day, as they were last year.
The Minister for Finance has already assured this House that the income tax provisions in the forthcoming budget will be poverty proofed, having regard to the official guidelines on the matter. Spending Departments are responsible for poverty proofing expenditure measures.
As provided for in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, the poverty proofing arrangements are currently being reviewed by the National Economic and Social Council. I expect that the outcome of the review will enhance the current process and help address any difficulties that may constrain its effective implementation. Following the review my Department will consider further measures for improving the process.