Written Answers. - Poverty Proofing.
Joe Walsh
Question:
54
Mr. J. Walsh
asked the
Minister for Social Welfare
whether all programmes and policy proposals, particularly the social welfare elements of the 1996 budget, will be poverty-proofed, in view of the fact that 1996 has been designated UN year for the eradication of poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[16746/95]
As the Deputy will be aware, I obtained Government approval earlier this year for the development of a national anti-poverty strategy. This will involve all Government Departments and agencies targeting poverty and social exclusion across the full range of policies and programmes and is in line with the commitments entered into at the UN World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen.
The strategy is being developed by a high level interdepartmental policy committee. In keeping with the commitment in A Government of Renewal to extend the opportunities for democratic participation by citizens in all aspects of public life, the committee is required to provide for consultation with and the participation of those affected by social exclusion through their representative organisations.
The process of consulting with and ensuring the active participation of people directly affected by poverty through the organisations that represent them has been ongoing over the last few months and the Combat Poverty Agency has made resources and support available to enable groups hold local consultations-workshops about the strategy.
The national anti-poverty strategy will involve the preparation of a statement setting out the nature and extent of poverty and social exclusion in Ireland. Work is well advanced on the preparation of this overview statement; the selection of key themes-policy areas which must be addressed if poverty and social exclusion are to be tackled; the setting of specific targets within each theme against which progress can be assessed; recommending the type of institutional mechanisms to be put in place to ensure that the issue of reducing poverty and social exclusion is firmly on the agenda of all Government Departments and agencies and that there is appropriate co-ordination across and between Departments in this area and use of the Strategic Management Initiative currently under way in the public service to reflect the Government commitment to the anti-poverty strategy.
An independent monitoring mechanism will be important in the successful implementation of an anti-poverty strategy and the achievement of targets to be set out in such a strategy. The Combat Poverty Agency will play the key role in this process and because of its expertise in the area will represent an important resource to Government Departments.
The interdepartmental committee has been charged with preparing a report which will form part of the national report for the United Nations, to be completed before the end of 1996, to demonstrate national progress in implementing the UN commitment. The secretariat to the committee has been augmented for the purpose of the strategy with assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and the Combat Poverty Agency.
The committee started its work by issuing an information leaflet, signed by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and myself, inviting submissions on how the strategy should be developed, what it should contain and what institutional mechanisms should be in place to ensure its implementation. The deadline for receipt of submissions was 22 September and I understand that some 235 submissions have been received in the Taoiseach's Department. These are now being examined and analysed and a synopsis will be published shortly.
The Government has already begun the process of addressing social exclusion and poverty in this year's budget with a significant improvement in child benefit; as it has been established that in Ireland, households with children have a higher risk of poverty than those without, we increased the monthly payment for each child by £7.
I intend to continue this process. Tackling poverty will continue to be my primary concern in farming proposals for the social welfare aspects of the 1996 budget.
