asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the recent Combat Poverty report highlighted the fact that there is a significant problem of poverty in rural areas and that farming households make up nearly one quarter of households below the 50 per cent poverty line; and his reaction to these recommendations in the report focusing on this issue.
Written Answers. - Combat Poverty Report.
123.
I have noted the contents of the report by the Combat Poverty Agency on poverty and the social welfare system in Ireland. The issue of rural poverty is highlighted in the report and the conclusion is that new and diversified income sources need to be generated in rural areas. This is entirely in line with the thinking behind the pilot scheme for Integrated Rural Development which I initiated recently.
I hope that the findings of this pilot programme can form the basis for a longer term national programme for rural development which could receive support under the EC Structural Funds. Such support would be in line with the commitments towards maintaining an economically healthy rural society, expressed by the EC Commission in its recent document on "The Future of Rural Society".
In addition, the programme for western development, which will provide opportunities for small farmers to increase their incomes, has been extended to all the less favoured areas in the country.
Discussions are also continuing at EC Council level on the proposal to institute a system of income aids for those farm families and workers whose income is below a minimum acceptable standard.
Finally, I expect that the current plans to increase EC Structural Funds will generate increased economic activity in rural areas, and thus provide employment and income opportunities which can assist in tackling poverty in rural areas.