Louise O'Reilly
Question:381. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the national social target for poverty reduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43398/20]
View answerTuesday, 15 December 2020
Questions (381, 382)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:382. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of targets under the national social target for poverty reduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43399/20]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 381 and 382 together.
The National Social Target for Poverty Reduction remains the headline target in the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, published in January 2020. The Target is to reduce the share of the population in consistent poverty to 2% or less by the end of 2025. The latest data available for this measure is from the 2019 CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), and shows the consistent poverty rate in Ireland was 5.5%. This continues the downward trend in consistent poverty seen in recent years and is a significant decrease from a peak of 9.0% in 2013.
The National Social Target for Poverty Reduction has two sub-targets. The first is the child poverty target 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 (107,000 children). This would result in some 37,000 children or less in consistent poverty by the end of 2020. The 2019 SILC data shows the consistent poverty rate for children was 8.1%, which equates to approximately 97,000 children (using CSO estimated 2019 child population figures). Based on the most recently available data, it is clear that the child poverty target is unlikely to be met. However the work to reduce the number of children in poverty continues. This is reflected in the targeted welfare measures included in Budget 2021 which saw increases in the weekly Qualified Child rates and the income thresholds for the Working Family Payment, along with increased investment in the Hot School Meals programme. The Roadmap for Social Inclusion includes a commitment to continue to monitor progress against the child poverty target and to set a new target to the end of 2025.
The second sub-target relates to the requirement, under the Europe 2020 strategy, for EU member states to set a national poverty target which will contribute to meeting the EU poverty target: to lift at least 20 million people out of the risk of poverty or exclusion by 2020 (using 2008 as baseline year). Ireland’s contribution to the EU target is to lift a minimum of 200,000 people out of 'combined poverty' between 2010 and 2020. Based on the 2019 SILC data, approximately 177,000 have been lifted out of combined poverty.
It should be noted for both the child poverty reduction target and Europe 2020 target, that the most recent data available is from 2019. Relevant 2020 data will not be available until late 2021, which will give a clearer final picture of progress towards both targets.
I thank the Deputy for her question and hope this clarifies the matter.