Paudge Connolly
Question:473 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps she proposes to alleviate the unacceptably high level of consistent poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20027/04]
View answerTuesday, 6 July 2004
Questions (440)
Written answers
The most recent data on the levels of consistent poverty is contained in a report published recently by the Economic and Social Research Institute entitled, Monitoring Poverty Trends in Ireland: Results from the 2001 Living in Ireland Survey. The report shows that the steady downward trend in consistent poverty has been sustained with a rate of 5.2% being recorded in 2001, as compared with 15% in 1994. Accordingly, steady progress continues to be made towards the achievement of the target set out in the revised national anti-poverty strategy, NAPS, of reducing the level of consistent poverty to below 2% by 2007 and ideally eliminating it altogether by that time.
The revised NAPS, together with the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion — NAPs/inclusion — provide the framework for the continued strategic response by Government to the issues of poverty and exclusion. The NAPs/inclusion, covering the period from 2003 to 2005, sets out the ambitious targets across the range of policy areas, including employment, income support, health, education, health and housing and accommodation, which impact on poverty and social exclusion. It also addresses the needs of certain groups within society who are particularly vulnerable to poverty and social exclusion. These groups include women, children and young people, older people, people with disabilities, Travellers, prisoners and ex-prisoners.
Under the partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress, a range of special initiatives are being undertaken, most of which are of direct relevance to combating poverty, including in particular the initiatives on ending child poverty, tackling educational disadvantage, supports for the long-term unemployed and other vulnerable workers, supports for carers, housing and accommodation initiatives and migration and inter-culturalism.
Institutional structures have been established to monitor and evaluate progress in all areas of the NAPS and NAPs/inclusion. These structures are facilitated and supported by the office for social inclusion, OSI, in my Department. The challenge now is to sustain and build on the progress we have made to date so that we can achieve our overarching objective of building a fairer and more inclusive society.
Question No. 474 withdrawn.