34 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if, in view of recent disturbing reports of poverty among single parent families, he will outline the way in which the family services programme plans to provide better supports to these and other low income families. [15281/01]
Written Answers. - Family Support Services.
The National Economic and Social Forum, NESF, held a plenary session on Monday, 14 May 2001 to discuss the draft report of its project team on lone parents. There is nothing in the draft report to support recent media reports that the risk of poverty for lone parents has increased sixfold since 1981. The data in the report indicate that the poverty risk for lone parent families, that is, the numbers who fall below the 50% income poverty line, increased from 17% in 1987 to 29% in 1994. Recent data indicate that it has remained at that level in 1997. That said, lone parents remain one of the groups in society who are most at risk of poverty. Accordingly, a range of measures has been introduced to improve the overall incomes of lone parents and to deal with their training and education needs.
The family services project is being piloted in three local offices of my Department – Cork, covering the Togher and Mahon areas, Finglas in Dublin and Waterford city. The pilot project is part of the Government's families first approach for which some £12 million has been provided for the development of services to my Department this year.