Written Answers. - Anti-Poverty Strategy.
Question:
57
Dr. Upton
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he has received a submission from the open your eyes to child poverty initiative in relation to the elimination of child poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[15300/01]
My Department received a submission from the open your eyes to child poverty initiative on the theme of income adequacy in the context of the current review of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy, NAPS. The submission contains a number of proposed targets and actions in relation to child poverty and child income support.
Child poverty has been identified as a central issue for consideration in the review of the NAPS. As part of the review, existing NAPS targets will be revised as appropriate and consider ation will be given to possible new targets under the themes of child poverty, women's poverty, older people, health, and housing/accomodation.
With regard to adequacy of incomes, the Deputy will be aware that the social welfare benchmarking and indexation group – established under the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness – is examining the issues involved in developing a benchmark for adequacy of adult and child social welfare payments, including the ongoing uprating or indexation of payments. The group's interim report was produced recently and it is planned that the group will complete its deliberations by end-July, 2001.
The most recent data supplied by the Economic and Social Research Institute suggests that we are beginning to make inroads on the level of child poverty in Ireland. Consistent poverty for children fell from 16.9% in 1997 to 12% in 1998, underlining in particular the positive effects that falling unemployment has on households with children.
In addition, this Government has demonstrated its commitment to the welfare of children through the heavy investment in the child benefit scheme in recent budgets. Budget 2001 provided for very significant increases in child benefit, with the lower rate, payable in respect of the first two children, being increased by £25 per month, and the higher rate, payable in respect of the third and subsequent children, being increased by £30 per month. These increases will come into effect from next month and will cost £330 million in a full year. Total expenditure on child benefit is now over £900 million per year. Moreover, this Government is committed to spending a total of £1.5 billion in a full year on child benefit by 2003.
The National Children's Strategy, launched in late 2000, contains an ambitious series of policy objectives for children for the next ten years and provides us with a framework through which we can significantly improve the lives of all our children.
Question No. 58 answered with Question No. 33.
Question No. 59 answered with Question No. 13.
