Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 December 2004
83 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the 300% take up of the services of the St. Vincent de Paul organisation by the most needy in society; and if he intends to respond to this trend in any way. [33472/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been made aware of the figures released by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which show a significant increase in the numbers seeking the services of the organisation over the last two years. I am conscious of the invaluable contribution which the society makes in alleviating the effects of poverty on the most vulnerable members of Irish society and the close contact society members maintain with the least well off.
Building a fair and inclusive society has been, and continues to be, a key priority of this Government. We are committed to tackling the many dimensions of poverty and social exclusion through the strategic approach set out in the 2002 revised national anti-poverty strategy and in the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion launched in July 2003.
These plans contain ambitious targets across the range of policy areas which impact on poverty and social exclusion, including social welfare, education, health, employment and housing. They include key income support targets of raising the lowest social welfare rate to €150 in 2002 terms by 2007 and of increasing the rate of social welfare pensions to €200 per week by 2007.
The €874 million social welfare package announced in budget 2005 will bring projected expenditure on social welfare to €12.25 billion in 2005, an increase of almost 9% on 2004.
These budgetary commitments are indicative of the Government's priority to protect and improve the living standards of the least well-off. The €14 increase announced for the lowest social welfare rates and the €12 pension increase keeps us on track to reach the targets we have set for 2007.
The policies pursued by the Government over recent years in combating unemployment and in increasing incomes in real terms for those not in work, are improving the standards of living of the most vulnerable people in society. However, I acknowledge that increased employment and income improvements alone may not be sufficient to alleviate the position of certain groups of vulnerable people, who are having to have recourse to assistance from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The pre-budget submission of the society, An Opportunity for Fairness, highlights this reality.
Its findings in relation to the position of its clients will be fully taken into account in future policy development. This will be especially the case over the next year, as we begin the process of evaluating the outcomes achieved under the current national action plan on inclusion, and start developing policies for its successor, due to be completed in 2006.
