Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 Oct 2003

Vol. 573 No. 1

Written Answers. - Anti-Poverty Strategy.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

81 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to tackle child poverty under the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion; her views on whether this plan lacks a long-term strategy and is light on specifics; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that according to Barnardos, there are 90,000 children living in consistent poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24206/03]

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

122 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on whether criticism of the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion having no important new strategies, policies or resources, is valid. [24301/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 122 together.

The national action plan reflects the intensive policy development that occurred over the past two years including the formulation of the revised national anti-poverty strategy, Building an Inclusive Society, and the social partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress. All of these are the product of intensive consultation with interested parties. The trends identified, to be addressed in the plan, the analysis of progress since the previous plan, the strategies, targets and measures to be adopted, the structures in place to monitor and advise on implementation, and the specific initiatives for future policy development, all come together to form a clear, comprehensive and coherent basis for combating poverty and social exclusion over the next two years and beyond.

Annex A.3.2 details the €17.4 billion which will be spent this year alone on social inclusion measures, with expenditure on a similar scale occurring in subsequent years. As for specifics, the plan contains many more specific targets than the previous plan.

The fact that much of the content is not new to those involved in the process is simply a function of the transparent approach adopted, resulting in most of the key policy initiatives appearing in the revised NAPs, in Sustaining Progress and in other relevant strategies in the preceding year. It is also the case that the current economic downturn has affected the pace at which further progress can prudently be made, an experience being shared by all member states. However, the concerns expressed and policies proposed during the extensive consultative process are set out in the report on the consultation, which we published with the national action plan, and will be fully taken into account in further policy and programme development.

Ending child poverty is a key priority in the plan and is also the subject of a special initiative for intensive policy development under Sustaining Progress. My Department, working together with other relevant Departments and agencies and the social partners, will be centrally involved in this task.

Consistent poverty among children has more than halved in the four year period from 1997 to 2001, falling from 15.3% in 1997 to 6.5% in 2001 or 74,000 children. The figure of 90,000 children in consistent poverty, which is drawn from a policy document published recently by Barnardos, is based on 2000 data when the level of consistent poverty amongst children was at 8%.

Our specific target in this area is to reduce the numbers of children who are consistently poor to below 2% by 2007 and, if possible, eliminate consistent poverty for children. Given the progress made to date, this target is clearly attainable and is one I am determined to do all that I can to reach.

I am confident that the strategy to end child poverty already set out in the national action plan and the actions to supplement this under the special initiative will enable the target to be reached.