Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 November 2004
121 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will prioritise the phenomenon of food poverty in his Department; the number of persons who are experiencing food poverty; if, in addressing this issue, he will expand the school meals programme in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28221/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWeekly payments through the various social assistance schemes are intended to provide income to meet the basis living needs of recipients. Supplements are also payable in certain circumstances for specific needs, for example, fuel allowances, rent supplements, living alone allowance for older people or the household benefits package for pensioners, eligible disabled people and carers.
Budgetary increases in these rates of payment each year meet or exceed the rate of increase in the cost of living. This is to ensure that those depending on social welfare experience real improvement in their ability to meet their basis needs. The amount by which rates of payment can be increased generally each year is a key element of budget planning, as is the scope for prioritising support for particular needy groups.
The underlying adequacy of social welfare rates is considered in conjunction with the broader issue of the prevalence and alleviation of poverty in our society. One measure of poverty is consistent poverty which takes into account both the level of income and the level of deprivation of basic items, including adequate meals because of the inability to afford them. While consistent poverty is now at very low levels, some recent studies have focused on aspects such as fuel and food costs in particular. A recent report entitled "Food Poverty and Policy", published by Crosscare, the Combat Poverty Agency and the Society of the St. Vincent de Paul, defined food poverty as "the inability to access a nutritionally adequate diet and the related impact on health, culture and social participation".
Another recent study indicated that particular family groups depending on social welfare unemployment or lone parent support might not have an adequate income to meet their basic needs for a balanced diet and other essential items. It is not clear whether this calculation takes account of other supplementary supports available to families or of the earnings and other disregards available to enable them to supplement their income through employment or training. However, the study indicated that a pensioner couple would have more than sufficient income to meet a low cost but acceptable standard of living. This is an affirmation that the Government's policy of providing particular supports to old age pensioners is having a real effect in improving their standard of living. I aim to continue this process.
For families with schoolgoing children, school meals can make a real and important contribution to ensuring that children receive better nutrition. Such services can also contribute to improved school attendance and quality of learning. My Department provides funding for school meals under two strands, namely the urban school meals scheme and the local projects scheme. The urban school meals scheme operates in conjunction with certain local authorities and is co-funded by my Department. The local projects scheme provides funding to secondary, national, pre-schools and community groups in both urban and rural areas who provide school meals.
In 2003, €3.29 million was spent on the school meals programme. It is estimated that 382 schools, with a total of over 50,650 pupils, benefited from the urban scheme while 347 schools and voluntary organisations received funding which benefited some 26,000 children under local school meals projects. The 2004 provision for this programme is €6.08 million. A review of the urban and Gaeltacht schools meals schemes, which was published in 2003, made a number of recommendations to focus the scheme on areas of greatest disadvantage. This includes targeting secondary schools with the highest concentration of pupils at risk of early school leaving and their primary feeder schools.
My Department is working with the Department of Education and Science to extend the school meals programme. In this regard the Department of Education and Science is using its schools completion programme and Giving Children an Even Break programme to target disadvantaged schools. It is actively promoting the school meals programme through the local schools completion programme co-ordinators. I intend to continue to extend and enhance the scheme as much as possible having regard to other resource priorities.
