Written Answers. - Policy on Poverty.
Helen Keogh
Ceist:
29
Ms Keogh
asked the
Minister for Social Welfare
his views on whether poverty among families with children has grown in Ireland over the past 20 years; and the proposals, if any, he has to target new welfare measures at this particular group.
Helen Keogh
Ceist:
36
Ms Keogh
asked the
Minister for Social Welfare
his views on the recent study on poverty and policy in Ireland; if present strategies should be adhered to; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Bernard Allen
Ceist:
37
Mr. Allen
asked the
Minister for Social Welfare
the steps, if any, he proposes to take to remedy the situation whereby, despite the increasing participation of women in the labour market, poverty amongst younger women has increased in Ireland, thereby bringing about the feminisation of poverty.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 36 and 37 together.
A major survey of household income and poverty was carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute in 1987 and partially funded by my Department. That study has given rise to a considerable number of reports and papers which have added immeasurably to the information available on poverty and helped to create a more informed debate on this issue.
Many of the results of the ESRI analysis have found their way into the recent publication "Poverty and Policy in Ireland" and I congratulate the ESRI on the comprehensiveness of this publication.
One of the key findings of the ESRI's work is in relation to the changing incidence of poverty over the 1970s and 1980s. Comparing the results of the 1987 survey with those of earlier studies, the ESRI found that the unemployed comprised less than one in ten of those below the 50 per cent income line in 1973; this had risen to over one in three by 1987. This contrasts with the position of the elderly which improved substantially over the 1970s and 1980s as the real level of social welfare old age pensions increased rapidly relative to other incomes and occupational pension schemes matured and covered more of the retired.
According to the ESRI, the increase in unemployment during the 1980s has meant that households with children, particularly larger households, faced a much higher risk of falling into poverty at the time of the survey than they had previously. This insight has been reflected in many of the developments in social policy since the survey was undertaken.
Given the link between poverty among households with children and unemployment generally, tackling the problem is inevitably linked with the Government's broader strategy to promote employment and facilitate the reintegration of the unemployed, especially the long term unemployed, into the economic mainstream.
In addition to this broader strategy significant progress has been made in recent years to improve the position of families with children. There have been increases in the basic rates of all social welfare weekly payments and substantial increases in child dependent payments. Initiatives which I have introduced to promote the take-up of the family income supplement have given rise to a 70 per cent increase since 1987 in the number of recipient families and a 50 per cent rise in the number of children who benefit. Recent budgets have also seen significant increases in child benefit.
In relation to the question of poverty amongst women, the ESRI's publication "Poverty and Policy in Ireland" concluded that "women were not found to be at high risk of poverty relative to men" and therefore there was not a "feminisation of poverty". Nevertheless, the report did identify certain categories of women who were at a higher risk of poverty. This was particularly true of women who were lone parents but was also evident for spouses of people who are unemployed or in low-paid employment with large families. The ESRI reached the conclusion that the position of these categories of women could best be improved through facilitating their access to the labour market. This suggests that not only should rates of payments continue to be improved but that this should be coupled with improvements in the incentive to work. I share this view and have given it effect in the last budget through a major improvement in the incentives for lone parents to take up work while retaining benefit.
The ESRI noted that there are complex questions surrounding the issue of how best to provide income support. These complex issues are currently being looked at by the expert working group on the integration of the tax and social welfare systems. The views of this group will have an important bearing on how the social welfare system addresses the needs of children, women and indeed, social welfare recipients generally, in the future.
This year I am arranging with the ESRI for a further survey to be carried out on similar lines to the 1987 survey. This study will provide up to date information on the current situation and allow for an assessment of development since the previous survey.
