Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 February 2004
124 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the annual report of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for 2002; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that the society spent €630,000 every week in 2002 battling poverty and that it received a massive increase in calls for help during that year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3871/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2002 report of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul details that their total expenditure rose by 12% to some €32.9 million in the 12 months to the end of 2002 but that this figure includes significant expenditure on capital projects, overseas support and administration.
The rise in the number of requests received by the society is a reminder that poverty continues to affect the lives of many people. However, it is also a fact that the policies pursued by the Government over recent years, in combating unemployment and in reducing the level of consistent poverty, have brought about a significant improvement in the situation of people on lower incomes, with the numbers of those living in consistent poverty falling from 9.7% in 1997 to 5.2% in 2001.
Our policy platform for continuing to achieve real reductions in the levels of consistent poverty is set out in the revised national anti-poverty strategy, NAPS, published in February 2002, and in the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion launched in July of last year. These contain ambitious targets across the range of policy areas which impact on poverty and social exclusion, including social welfare payments, education, health, employment, housing and accommodation.
I believe that a sustained focus on the achievement of the targets contained in the revised national anti-poverty strategy, NAPS, and in the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion represents the best approach to tackling the issue of poverty in our society. I am also concerned to ensure that the resources available are used in the most effective way to address the real needs of people and I will take on board the views and opinions of organisations such as the society, which deal with people in need on an ongoing basis, in formulating policies for the future development of the social welfare system.
