Written Answers. - Care of the Elderly.
Jim O'Keeffe
Question:
84
Mr. J. O'Keeffe
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
his views on the findings of the ESRI report that the position of the elderly population has worsened dramatically since 1987 relative to the non-elderly and a quarter of elderly households are living below the 50% poverty line; and if he has any proposals in this regard.
[10550/00]
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:
105
Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will make a statement on the ESRI report, Income Deprivation and Well-Being Among Older Irish People.
[10561/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 105 together.
I welcome this report prepared by the ESRI for the National Council on Ageing and Older People, which was made available last November. Wide-ranging in its scope, the report examines the causal effects of poverty and social deprivation among older people through a variety of dimensions and, as such, it is a valuable addition to the body of research on issues relating to the needs of our older people. It covers the period from 1987 to 1997 and therefore provides an informative, historical analysis for policy makers.
As the report points out, in income terms the position of older people disimproved over the ten year period covered. This is precisely why, on taking up office, this Government set ambitious goals in order to secure the future of our older people. An Action Programme for the Millennium set a target old age pension rate of £100 by 2002. We are well on the way to achieving this with record increases in pensions rates over the last three budgets.
In 1997 the maximum rate of the old age contributory pension at £78 per week equated to 28 per cent of average industrial earnings. From next month, at £96.00 per week it will equate to over 30% which is working towards the 34 per cent recommendation of the Pensions Board in its report Securing Retirement Income.
In last year's review of the programme, this Government committed to the early achievement of the £100 commitment and, furthermore, extended it to all social welfare old age pensions by 2002. In addition, over the lifetime of this Government, all old age pensions will increase in line with average industrial earnings.
The National Council on Ageing and Older People report acknowledges the important role that the free schemes play in supporting the more vulnerable of our older people. From October this year, I have provided that entitlement to the free schemes will be extended to all people over 75 years of age regardless of the household income or composition. In this regard, I am pleased to inform Deputies that the Review of the Free Schemes is being published by the Policy Institute, Trinity College Dublin, today and I will be launching this review later this evening. I have arranged that a copy of the report will be made available to Members of both Houses this afternoon.
I will examine this report in detail in the context of future budgetary policy. In particular, I intend to build on the improvements in this area by moving towards the establishment of a single household benefits scheme in future budgets. This will amalgamate the free electricity, free TV licence and free telephone rental allowance into one combined household benefits package based on the standard living alone qualifying criteria.
The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness provides an opportunity to develop new approaches with the social partners to important strategic issues that were being considered in the social inclusion area.
The national anti-poverty strategy is the Government's key policy document in relation to tackling poverty and social exclusion and it is proposed, under the programme, that the national anti-poverty strategy will be updated and the underlying methodology reviewed and revised where appropriate. In particular, new targets will be considered under the themes of older people, women's poverty, child poverty, health and housing and accommodation. This process will be completed during the first 18 months of the programme. In addition, the issue of relative income poverty will be reviewed by a working group to be established to examine benchmarking and indexation issues.
