Written Answers. - Anti-Poverty Strategy.
Trevor Sargent
Question:
34
Mr. Sargent
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
his views on the assertion of the director of the Combat Poverty Agency that there is no economic or social justification for poverty and that a poverty free society needs to be a key goal of any new partnership agreement; and his policies to deliver a poverty free society.
[26874/99]
Since it was formed in 1997, this Government has demonstrated a commitment to the process of social inclusion and has introduced policies to help ensure that every individual has the opportunity to participate fully in society.
While the National Anti-Poverty Strategy provided the framework for the implementation of cross-departmental policies to reduce poverty, economic and social developments since then have convinced this Government that the strategy needed to be broadened to reflect these changes.
The global target adopted in the National Anti-Poverty Strategy is framed in terms of "consistent poverty" as defined by the ESRI. A person is said to be consistently poor if they live in a household with less than 50% to 60% of average household income and experience enforced basic deprivation. Combining both these elements is considered by the ESRI to be a better measure of the extent of poverty at any given point in time than simply considering either part in isolation.
In this regard, the results of the latest ESRI research based on the 1997 Living in Ireland Survey, Monitoring Poverty Trends, are very encouraging. This publication demonstrates that the numbers experiencing consistent poverty fell from between 9% and 15% of the population in 1994 to between 7% and 10% by 1997 with the original NAPS target, which had a target date of 2007, virtually achieved. In light of this progress, earlier this year I announced ambitious new targets to reduce consistent poverty to below 5% by 2004.
Also, I announced that the NAPS interdepartmental policy committee should examine the possibilities of setting new targets in new areas of policy and that the views of the social partners would be sought in this regard.
Securing employment is the surest route out of poverty and this Government has presided over unprecedented reductions in unemployment and significant increases in employment levels. The level of unemployment has been reduced to 5.7%, from 11.9% in 1996, and long-term unemployment has now been reduced to 2.1%. A combination of strong economic performance, labour market interventions, income supports and tax reform have ensured that the downward trend has been constant.
In addition, I have provided increases in social welfare payments which have ensured that all payments now exceed the minimum recommended rate of the Commission on Social Welfare. The future direction of social welfare rates generally is a matter which is under continuing consideration within my Department and in the current partnership negotiations. I expect that the issues of poverty and social inclusion will form an important element of any new partnership agreement.
The elimination of poverty in any society can only occur when we have eliminated its causes. This Government has worked throughout its term to tackle the root causes of poverty across various themes including income adequacy, educational disadvantage, unemployment, rural poverty, and urban disadvantage, and, while we are already seeing reductions in consistent poverty, its eventual elimination is something that we, as a society, need to strive for. The groundwork for this is now taking place.
