Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 24 May 2001

Vol. 537 No. 1

Written Answers. - Minimum Income.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

45 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he has examined the proposal from the Combat Poverty Agency for the establishment of a minimum income standard for people on low income; if he will consider the establishment of such a standard; if he agreed with the Combat Poverty Agency view that while pensioners and low paid are now better off, those who could not access work are being left behind; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15301/01]

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

The Combat Poverty Agency's proposal was included in a submission which it was invited to make to the social welfare benchmarking and indexation group, established under the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. The benchmarking and indexation group comprises representatives of each pillar of social partnership.

The terms of reference of this group require it to examine the issues involved in developing a benchmark for adequacy of adult and child social welfare payments, including the implications of adopting a specific approach to the ongoing uprating or indexation of payments, having regard to their long-term economic, budgetary, PRSI contribution, distributive and incentive implications, in light of trends in economic, demographic and labour market patterns; and examine the issue of relative income poverty. The complex issues involved in developing a benchmark for adequacy are currently being considered by this group and the submission prepared by the Combat Poverty Agency represents an important contribution to the groups deliberations.

The group has recently produced an interim report and it is planned that it will complete its deliberations by end July 2001 and produce its final report shortly thereafter. Given the specific remit of the group as set out in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, I do not believe that it would be appropriate for me to seek to pre-empt the group's findings in any way at this time.

Obviously, the group will be considering the position of those who are in receipt of unemployment payments in the course of its deliberations. It is important to recall in this context that unemployment has reduced dramatically since 1997 and opportunities for employment are now at a level that would have been unthinkable five years ago. The Government's employment action plan has been very successful in reducing the numbers unemployed through the provision of the training, support and guidance needed to enable people to avail of employment opportunities. Notwithstanding that success, the Government remains absolutely committed to tackling the barriers faced by those who continue to have difficulties in re-entering the active labour market.

Finally, I can assure the Deputy that the conclusions reached by the group when it presents its final report in a few months time will receive the most careful consideration in the context of the development of future welfare policy and budgetary strategy.