Vol. 549 No. 3
47 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his views on the existing treatment of asylum seeking children, in the context of anti-poverty policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6295/02]
As the Deputy will be aware, the accommodation and subsistence needs of asylum seeking children are met directly through an independent co-ordination agency, the reception and integration agency, which comes under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
The income maintenance needs of asylum seekers are met for the most part by the health boards through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The main objective of the scheme is to make up the difference between a person's means, whether in cash or in kind, and their needs. Where a person has access to some resources in kind or in cash, through the social welfare system or otherwise, the relevant legislation requires that this be taken into account in determining entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance.
This occurs in the case of asylum seekers who arrived since 10 April 2000. They are provided with full board accommodation, including all meals and other services under the system of direct provision operated by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In such cases, the recommended weekly allowance is €19.10 per adult and € 9.60 per child to provide for personal requisites. Furthermore, where there are other reasonable expenses, exceptional needs payments are made by the health boards.
Asylum seekers who are not in direct provision are entitled to the full range of supports available under the supplementary welfare scheme. Child benefit is also payable in respect of any child resident in the State, including asylum seeking children. As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has invested heavily in the child benefit scheme in recent years. Following the biggest ever increase in child benefit in 2001, the 2002 budget again provides for record increases which will bring the rate of payment to €117.60 for the first two children and €142.30 for subsequent children from April of this year.
The rates of payments have been increased threefold over our period in office and, in addition, we have brought forward the effective payment dates for child benefit from September in 1997 to April in 2002. These improvements in child income support demonstrate the absolute commitment of the Government to tackling the issue of child poverty, wherever it occurs.
Tomorrow, the Taoiseach and I will launch Building an Inclusive Society, the revised National Anti-Poverty Strategy, NAPS. The publication of the revised strategy comes at the end of a long consultation process in which the social partners fully participated. It expands the scope of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy and strengthens it through bolder policies and robust institutional structures. The new targets and policy measures, including those in relation to children and ethnic minority groups, represent a more ambitious approach to the reduction of poverty in Ireland.
