Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 24 Oct 2002

Vol. 556 No. 2

Written Answers. - Anti-Poverty Strategy.

Joan Burton

Question:

34 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on the recent EU statistics which show that Ireland has the highest rate of poverty among female pensioners living on their own; the steps her Department is taking to tackle poverty in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19509/02]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

It is acknowledged in the revised national anti-poverty strategy, NAPS, that older people and women are vulnerable groups. Eurostat figures confirm that older women living alone are a particularly vulnerable group.

One of the overall objectives of the revised NAPS is to eliminate consistent poverty for older people and to improve their access to appropriate health care and housing supports, and to support older people to live independent and fulfilling lives.

In relation to support for our older people, the Government has committed significant resources to improving the rates of social welfare pensions. This is the most effective way of ensuring that the position of all our pensioners is improved.

The action programme for the millennium set a target old age pension rate of €126.97 by 2002. In the review of this programme, the Government committed to the early achievement of the €126.97 rate and, furthermore, extended it to other social welfare pensions. This target was achieved one year ahead of schedule in the case of old age contributory pension and widow's contributory pension and was achieved in this year's budget for old age non-contributory pension. New targets have been set in the Government programme which will see a minimum pension rate of €200 per week by 2007.

The improvements announced in budget 2002 saw the old age contributory pension increase to €147.30 per week and the old age non-contributory pension increase to €134 per week. Overall increases in old age pension rates since this Government came into office amount to between 37% and 49%.

The Government is committed to bringing the maximum rate of the widow's and widowers' contributory pension for those over 66 years of age into line with that of the old age contributory pension. A number of special increases have been granted in recent budgets in pursuit of this objective and the maximum rate now stands at €144.80 per week against a rate of €147.30 for the old age contributory pension.

Other improvements in this area include changes in the assessment of capital under the means tests for non-contributory payments. There have also been significant improvements in the area of the free schemes.

Older people will remain one of the major priorities for the Government and improving their position will be a priority consideration in the budgetary context.