Liz O'Donnell
Ceist:6 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Social Welfare the proposals, if any, he has made to the content of the National Development Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - National Development Plan.
The preparation of the national plan is being co-ordinated by the Minister for Finance on behalf of the Government and the views of all other Departments, including my Department, are being taken into account in formulating the plan. The plan when finalised will be submitted to the EC Commission by the Government.
My priority as Minister for Social Welfare is that the opportunity of the next round of Structural Funds be used to enhance our efforts to tackle the serious unemployment problem we face and create new hope and opportunities for unemployed people and particularly the long term unemployed.
I note that the Minister said that the Department of Finance is co-ordinating the development of the national plan. In reply to a question, the Minister for Finance said that the central objective is to have a plan focused on generating sustainable employment and growth. Since the Minister present is the Minister with responsibility, along with his junior Minister, for dealing with the 22 per cent unemployment rate and all the social ills and social exclusion that comes from this huge rate of unemployment, would he agree that it is up to his Department to put forward strong coherent policies to tackle social exclusion and that it is not enough to take the traditional approach of allowing the Department of Finance to make these decisions? It is up to each individual Minister.
I want to assist the Deputy in eliciting information, but brevity is essential if I am to dispose of the two remaining questions within the time laid down.
What specific proposals has the Minister in order to give leadership to the Department of Social Welfare in tackling social exclusion? What is the Minister's view of the subregional review group reports that have come from around the country?
I assure the Deputy that both the Minister of State and I are very concerned about social exclusion and that it be taken into consideration in the allocation of these funds. We have put forward proposals to draw down further moneys in that regard. I accept the point made by the Deputy. We will also take into consideration the views expressed by the sub-groups and the various groups with which we are in contact. We would certainly like to see an improvement in this allocation.
Is the Minister aware that last week the Bishop of Cork was dismayed at the submission made by his region's review group which excluded the poorest area of Cork? I fear that will happen in Dublin too if the Minister and the junior Minister do not take strategic action to make sure that targeted disadvantaged areas are included in the development plan. It is not enough to give rhetoric. The Minister has not answered my question and I am not happy with his reply.
We cannot have the luxury of long questioning.
The Bishop of Cork will be reassured to find evidence that we have given considerable attention to both sides of Cork in the structural or roads development which has taken place there.
Roads do not do much for the excluded. They are by-passed.
That is the argument the Bishop was making——
It is my argument too.
——about the importance of the roads. We have development programmes in the targeted areas.
They by-pass the deprived areas.
Order, order.
We want to have greater resources for those areas.