Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 November 2004
133 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way in which he has supported local authorities in extending the national anti-poverty strategy to them; the amount made available and spent in each of the respective local authorities for 2002, 2003 and 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28159/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 1999, as part of its remit in the national anti-poverty strategy, NAPS, the Combat Poverty Agency, CPA, in conjunction with my Department and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, devised the local government work programme. The main output of the programme is the local government anti-poverty learning network.
The overall aim of the network is to promote and support the development of a strong anti-poverty focus within local government. It is managed by the CPA, with the assistance of an advisory committee and a steering group. My Department's office for social inclusion is represented on both of these groups. The objectives of the network are to: provide a forum in which local authorities can share experience and consider how to make the maximum contribution to policies to tackle poverty and social inclusion; support and assist local authorities to incorporate a strong anti-poverty focus within their work; enable local authorities to share information about developing new and innovative projects and initiatives; and exchange different local experiences and best practice.
The network has supported a range of activities including meetings, grants, information provision, training and research. Overall CPA expenditure under the local government work programme was €396,958 in 2002, €395,024 in 2003 and €251,000 to date in 2004. The programme includes a scheme of grants for local anti-poverty projects which is administered by the CPA. A total sum of €180,866 was paid under this scheme in 2002; the sum paid in 2003 was €201,100 when the focus of the scheme was on applications that supported the development of elements of local anti-poverty strategies. The sum issued to date in 2004 is €45,000. I have asked the agency to provide the Deputy with a breakdown of expenditure across each local authority area.
The office for social inclusion continues to support the social inclusion role of the county and city development boards, CDBs, and the social inclusion measures, SIM, co-ordinating groups of the boards. The office also supports the pilot social inclusion units that were established in seven local authorities during 2002 to 2004. A social inclusion unit was in operation in Dublin City Council prior to the commencement of the pilot units but has also received funding under the pilot scheme. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government provided total funding of €3.1 million for the establishment and operation of the units for the three year duration of the pilot scheme. In June 2004, independent consultants were engaged to undertake a review and evaluation of the pilot programme and will report shortly.
The office for social inclusion supports the Combat Poverty Agency's partnership in a transnational EU social exclusion programme project, entitled "Local Authorities and Social Inclusion". The project aims at strengthening anti-poverty practice in local government. Following on from the findings of the NESC review of poverty proofing, my Department is a partner in an integrated proofing project with the Equality Authority and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In the medium term, the intention is that the formal process of poverty proofing will be extended to all areas of local government.
134 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has studied recent family budget research carried out by a group (details supplied) which pointed out the way in which family incomes fall short in meeting basic household costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28219/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe report to which the Deputy refers, Low Cost But Acceptable Budgets for Three Households, was launched by the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice on 18 October this year. It sets out to apply budget standards to three household types.
The framework in which Government policy in this area operates is the national anti-poverty strategy. The reduction and eventual elimination of consistent poverty has been the priority goal of the national anti-poverty strategy since its inception. Using the most recent figures from the 2001 Living in Ireland survey, conducted by the ESRI, consistent poverty rates have fallen considerably from 15.1% in 1994 to 5.2% in 2001. There have been a number of major contributory factors behind this decrease. The substantial reduction in unemployment rates in recent years, particularly with regard to the long-term unemployed, has had a major impact on the numbers experiencing consistent poverty. In addition, policies designed to make work pay, such as the national minimum wage, family income supplement and the back to work allowance have further contributed to the decline in consistent poverty rates.
The lowest social welfare rates have been increased by 62% since 1997, 27% in real terms. The value of social transfers in Ireland can be seen in the fact that the numbers at risk of poverty before such transfers in 2001 was 30% but had fallen to 21% following social transfers. This was among the largest reductions achieved by social transfers of any country in the EU. It demonstrates that the social welfare system is well targeted towards the less well off. Commitments are made in the national anti-poverty strategy to increase old age pensions to €200 per week and to make progress towards achieving the target level of €150, in 2002 terms, for the lowest rates of social welfare payments by 2007.
The challenge now and for the future is to sustain the progress we have made so that we can meet our objective of achieving further substantial reductions in the levels of consistent poverty. The information presented in this study is being considered by officials in my Department and will be fully taken into account in future policy development, especially in the context of the national anti-poverty strategy.
