I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 132 together.
I have noted with interest the recently published CORI Socio-Economic Review 2003, which focuses on reducing poverty and achieving social inclusion. These are key objectives of my Department which we are pursuing through the implementation of the revised national anti-poverty strategy. In relation to the gap between rich and poor, the CORI review cites figures which show that the position of the lowest income households relative to the position of the highest earning households has disimproved over the past 15 years. This is attributable to a range of factors, but it is certain that a primary factor has been the very substantial growth in employment and reduction in unemployment which has occurred in that period.
It is widely accepted that reliance on income alone as a measure of poverty has limitations, most particularly in a period where there has been a very rapid growth in average incomes. The consistent poverty measure developed by the Economic and Social Research Institute, which incorporates both income and the presence of various indicators of deprivation, provides a broader picture of poverty arising from a sustained lack of resources.
According to the most recent figures, Ireland has seen significant reductions in consistent poverty over the past decade from 15% in 1994 to 6% in 2000. The levels of consistent poverty among vulnerable groups such as children and older people have also fallen during this period. In the revised national anti-poverty strategy, the Government has committed itself to further reducing the numbers of those who are consistently poor to below 2% and, if possible, to eliminate consistent poverty altogether. Trends in relative income will also be monitored over the period of the national anti-poverty strategy.