Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Nov 1998

Vol. 497 No. 2

Written Answers - Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion and Drugs.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

43 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of occasions on which the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion and Drugs has met since Dáil Éireann rose for the 1998 summer recess; the Government decisions taken in that period in this regard; the role of the committee in regard to the implementation of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24612/98]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

Since its inception, the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion and Drugs, has met on nine occasions and has met three times since Dáil Éireann rose for the summer recess. During this period, the Government approved the introduction of a mechanism for poverty-proofing all significant policy proposals. As a result of this development, policy proposals must now state clearly the impact of the particular proposal on groups known to be in poverty or at risk of falling into poverty. This provision has now been incorporated into the new Government procedures instructions handbook which has been circulated to all Government Departments.

The Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion and Drugs itself plays an important role in regard to the overall implementation of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy, NAPS. The Committee — which first met in October 1997 — was set up specially by the Government to provide a focus on anti-poverty action at the highest level. Apart from providing political direction to the development of the strategy, it oversees social inclusion initiatives at a strategic level in the context of the five key themes of the NAPS, namely educational disadvantage, unemployment, rural poverty, disadvantaged urban areas and income adequacy. The remit of the committee also extends to the national drugs strategy and matters relating to local development.