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Anti-Poverty Strategy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 November 2018

Tuesday, 13 November 2018

Questions (114)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

114. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on whether the targets to reduce consistent poverty and child poverty by 2020 will be met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46812/18]

View answer

Written answers

The National Social Target for Poverty Reduction (NSTPR) was agreed by Government in 2012 and aimed to reduce consistent poverty from 6.3% in 2010 to 4% by 2016 (interim target) and to 2% or less by 2020. It was an ambitious target, particularly during a time of economic recession, but one to which the Government has remained committed. The most recent poverty data from the CSO Survey on Income & Living Conditions (SILC) 2016 show that the consistent poverty rate had reduced to 8.3% from a peak of 9.1% in 2013.

However, the impact of the economic recovery was not fully reflected in this result, which captured income data for the period 2015-2016. Macro-economic and labour market indicators have shown continued economic and employment growth since then. When combined with measures introduced in recent Budgets, it is expected this will result in further improvements in the consistent poverty rate when the 2017 SILC data are released later this year.

The child-specific poverty target component of the NSTPR was to lift over 70,000 children (aged 0-17 years) out of consistent poverty by 2020, a reduction of at least two-thirds on the 2011 level. The number of children in consistent poverty rose significantly from the 2011 baseline figure of 107,000 to a high of 152,000 in 2014. By 2016, there were 132,000 children in consistent poverty requiring a reduction of more than 95,000 children in order to meet the 2020 target.

It is important to give some perspective and a sense of the size of the challenge Ireland faces in trying to achieve the child poverty target. In this context, it should be noted that at the height of the economic boom in 2008, when the consistent poverty rate for children was its lowest, there were 68,000 children in consistent poverty. So, in order to meet the target, Ireland will have to be more than twice as effective as our best ever performance to date.

Nevertheless, social transfers continue to play a crucial role in alleviating poverty and inequality and Ireland is among the best performing EU States for reducing poverty through social transfers. In 2016, social transfers more than halved the at-risk-of-poverty rate for children, from 40.3 per cent to 19.3 per cent.

In recent years with the improvement in the fiscal situation, the Government has been in a position to introduce a range of welfare increases which support families. Budget 2019 has continued this trend with measures including a €5 weekly increase to working age payments; increases to the qualified child allowance of €2.20 per week for children under 12 years of age and €5 per week for children over 12; additional increases to the earnings disregard for the One Parent Family payment and the Jobseekers transition payment (to €150 per week); an increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for both primary and secondary school children and an increase in the Christmas Bonus to 100%.

However, it should be noted that reducing child poverty is not just about income supports and welfare. Rather it is also about supporting parents to make the transition into employment and assisting families through the provision of quality affordable services in areas such as education, health, housing and childcare.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Question No. 115 answered with Question No. 75.
Question No. 116 answered with Question No. 78.
Question No. 117 answered with Question No. 101.
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