Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
452. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of programme for Government commitments (details supplied); if they have been completed; if not, the timeline on their progress; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48005/21]
View answerThe Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is the national strategy to reduce poverty and improve social inclusion in Ireland and aims to reduce consistent poverty to 2% of the population or less by 2025. The strategy contains seven high level goals with 22 specific targets, which will be delivered by 66 unique commitments - or actions - across Government. These include a commitment to “develop a comprehensive programme of work to further explore the drivers of food poverty and to identify mitigating actions”.
In order to progress this work, a Food Poverty Working Group has been established, chaired by Minister Joe O’Brien, Minister of State with responsibility for social inclusion. Membership includes relevant Government Departments (including Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth; Education; Health and Social Protection) and representatives from Crosscare, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and the Children’s Rights Alliance. The Group has met three times since it was established in April this year and is completing a mapping exercise of the supports provided across Government at a national level to address food poverty. The next meeting of the group is expected to take place in November.
The Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group is chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and includes legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice.
The Group's Terms of Reference are to consider and make recommendations on: (i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department; (ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives managed by my Department; and (iii) the establishment of a Child Maintenance Agency in Ireland.
The work of the Group is well underway. To date, the Group has held ten meetings and there are a number of other meetings scheduled on a regular basis over the coming months. A consultation process to facilitate feedback from stakeholder groups and members of the public in order to inform the Group's work has been undertaken. I expect that Group's work can be finalised by the end of the year.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
