Vol. 499 No. 3
110 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will launch an urgent programme of special measures to address the growing problems of rural poverty following the catastrophic development in the farm economy. [2607/99]
The Deputy will be aware that the 1999 budget provided for the introduction of a new social assistance scheme designed to provide enhanced income support to farmers on low incomes. Details of the scheme, which will be known as farm assist, will be contained in the forthcoming Social Welfare Bill, 1999.
On a wider level, the national anti-poverty strategy NAPS, which has an overall target of reducing the numbers in consistent poverty from 9 per cent to 15 per cent of the population in 1994 to less than 5 per cent to 10 per cent by 2007, recognises the distinct characteristics of rural poverty, compounded as they are by aspects of physical isolation and demographic dependence.
The NAPS aims to ensure that strategies are developed with regard to the provision of services in rural areas, especially those concerned with educational disadvantage, unemployment and income adequacy so that the overall targets are achieved in rural areas.
The recent report of the Task Force on Integration of Local Government and Local Development Systems as well as the forthcoming White Paper on Rural Development will be vital components in the achievement of this goal.
