Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Apr 1999

Vol. 503 No. 4

Written Answers. - Anti-Poverty Strategy.

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

51 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when the 1997 and later data will be available for the assessment of the National Anti Poverty Strategy targets; and the changes, if any, he envisages in the benchmarks being used to assess poverty. [10340/99]

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

A report on the levels of poverty in Ireland in 1997, based on the 1997 living in Ireland survey, is currently being prepared by the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, on behalf of my Department and the Combat Poverty Agency. This report is expected to be finalised around the end of April and will update the 1994 data which formed the basis for the overall target for poverty reduction contained in the National Anti-Poverty Strategy, NAPS.

Information on progress against other NAPS targets continues to be made available from time to time from various sources. The latest information regarding school retention rates is from the 1997 annual school leavers survey which relates to the 1995-6 school year. The Central Statistics Office latest estimate for unemployment relates to March 1999 when the rate was estimated to be just 6.7 per cent. In addition, the key NAPS target that all social welfare rates should reach the minimum levels recommended by the Commission on Social Welfare by the end of 1999 has been provided for in the 1999 budget.

The NAPS Interdepartmental policy committee will be shortly presenting its first annual report on the strategy. This will contain a comprehensive account of the various measures and programmes which are being pursued across Government Departments and agencies which promote social inclusion and combat disadvantage. This report will also describe the progress made to date against the targets set down in the NAPS and will consider the need to review them in light of developments to date.

As part of that review, it will be necessary to take account of all relevant information in relation to the various topics, including for example the ESRI's review of the Commission on Social Welfare's minimum adequate rates and the National Pensions Policy Initiative's, "Securing Retirement Income".

In addition, the views of the ESRI on the technical considerations which may apply when setting revised targets for the level of consistent poverty will also be obtained. In this regard it is worth noting that the ESRI will, as part of their forthcoming report, be conducting a review of the basic deprivation index, used in the definition of consistent poverty, to ensure that the concept remains relevant in the current economic and social climate.

Other aspects which will require consideration are the appropriate time scale to be used when setting targets and whether or not there are any other particular areas which may benefit from the establishment of specific targets.