The Children's Rights Alliance Report Card for 2012 assesses progress in the implementation of the Programme for Government from a non-governmental organisations' perspective. In the context of children and the social welfare system, the report acknowledges the progress made with regard to the establishment of the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare and suggests that the Advisory Group should map out the practical steps to reform the current social welfare system through the strategic integration of the tax and welfare systems by the end of 2012.
The Advisory Group was established in June of last year to harness expert opinion and experience in order to address a number of specific issues and to make cost-effective proposals for improving employment incentives and achieving better poverty outcomes, particularly child poverty outcomes. The Advisory Group has been asked to examine a number of issues and make recommendations on these, including child and family income supports, working age income supports, the appropriate unit of assessment in both the tax and social welfare codes, the interaction of the tax and social welfare codes, issues concerning social insurance for self-employed people and any other issues that may be referred to it.
The Group is currently prioritising the issue of child and family income supports. It should also be noted that I have recently asked the Group to examine and report on the policy objectives underpinning the Budget 2012 proposals regarding changes in eligibility criteria and rates of payment for Disability Allowance and the increase in the age threshold for payment of Domiciliary Care Allowance and to assess the overall effectiveness of these proposals in delivering on these objectives.
The Advisory Group's method of working is based on producing modular reports on the priority areas identified in the terms of reference and decisions in relation to publication will be made when appropriate.