Vol. 563 No. 6
25 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to make a more targeted response to the issue of child poverty, in view of the fact that there are an estimated 90,000 children still experiencing consistent poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8413/03]
34 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she has satisfied herself that the commitment contained in the new social partnership deal, Sustaining Progress, to reduce the number of children who are consistently poor to below 2% by 2007 and, if possible, eliminate consistent poverty, can be achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8481/03]
51 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the Government's plans regarding the elimination of child poverty; and her estimate of a necessary basic income for children. [8414/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 34 and 51 together.
The Government's commitment to maintaining progress in relation to child poverty is reflected in the revised National Anti-Poverty Strategy – Building an Inclusive Society.
A clear objective of the revised NAPS, in line with the National Children Strategy, is to eliminate child poverty and to move to a situation of greater equality for all children in terms of access to appropriate education, health and housing, thus breaking the cycle of disadvantage and exclusion experienced by certain children in society. Specifically, the revised NAPS established a target of reducing the number of children who are consistently poor below 2% by 2007 and, if possible, eliminating consistent poverty for children altogether.
The most recent data supplied by the Economic and Social Research Institute indicate that we are continuing to make significant inroads on reducing the level of child poverty in Ireland. Consistent poverty for children has fallen from some 17% in 1997 to 12% in 1998 and further to 8% in 2000.
Child poverty is almost invariably related to the broader socio-economic circumstances of the family. The main reason for the decline of child poverty since 1997 has been the corresponding decline in unemployment. The aim of this Government is to ensure that unemployment remains low and continues to fall, particularly long-term unemployment. In fact, it is a target of the NAPS that long-term unemployment is eliminated as soon as circumstances permit.
Children of lone parents are particularly vulnerable to poverty and social exclusion. The number of lone parents has increased to four times the 1990 figure. The one parent family scheme has been modified by means of earnings disregard to remove obstacles to lone parents taking up employment. Child care services are also being developed to facilitate lone parents in this regard.
It is also important to recognise the difficulties of parents in employment on low income. With this in view, family income supplement is available from my Department. For example, a family with a single earner and three children working 40 hours a week at the minimum wage (€6.35 per hour) would be entitled to a family income supplement of €106 per week.
