Vol. 558 No. 4
439 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will examine the Profile of Households Accommodated report by Dublin City Council which was published recently; the steps which will follow the conclusions reached in the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24322/02]
The report in question is a valuable piece of research carried out by the housing unit and Dublin City Council into the circumstances of households accommodated by the council in 2001. The report provides valuable data in such areas as household composition, sources and levels of income and employment levels. It also draws attention to the position of groups which are vulnerable to poverty, including one parent families, children and the elderly. The report is part of a research programme being undertaken by the housing unit which is designed to inform its work in public housing management.
Studies of this type are also valuable in supplementing the data available from broader national surveys and enhance the capacity of policy makers at both local and national levels to address key issues in relation to poverty and social inclusion. In this regard the report identifies income poverty as a serious issue for the households concerned with particularly high levels among tenant households with children and members of tenant households aged 65 years and over. The revised national anti-poverty strategy, Building an Inclusive Society, sets out targets which aim to address a number of the issues highlighted in the report. The findings of the report will be taken on board in the context of moving ahead with the implementation of the strategy.
