Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 February 2012
121 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to address the rates of child poverty in Ireland, with more than 19% of children at risk of poverty and almost 9% of children living in consistent poverty; her views on the fact that measures introduced in Budget 2012 may result in an increase in these rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8085/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra122 Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the fact that budget 2012 introduced a series of measures that impact disproportionately on the poorest children; if she will outline her plans to address child poverty here in view of the fact that children are the group most at risk of poverty and are also the group most reliant on State support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8086/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 122 together.
Plans to tackle child poverty are outlined in the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 (NAPSincl) and in the Programme for Government. The Government is committed to achieving the targets in the NAPsincl to reduce the number of people experiencing poverty. These targets are currently being reviewed to ensure that they continue to be appropriate and achievable.
The highest rates of poverty are in jobless households and households that have limited engagement with the labour market, including lone parent and unemployed families. Children in jobless households are three times more likely to experience consistent poverty than children generally. A multidimensional approach to tackling child poverty is needed to take into account income supports, services and parental access to employment.
The Programme for Government sets out the framework to achieve the critical objectives of increasing employment, building sustainable economic growth and protecting the most vulnerable in society. Employment opportunities will be increased through labour market activation, skills training and education measures. New initiatives such as Pathways to Work will also facilitate especially those who have been long-term unemployed to re-enter the labour market.
In Budget 2012, the Government limited cuts in social welfare to households where there was additional income above the basic social welfare payment to avoid any general reduction in primary weekly payments. In standardising child benefit rates, the Government sought to introduce a more appropriate system of child income supports as balanced by unchanged payments providing additional child-related supports to families on low incomes.
This Department works closely with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) in relation to these issues. The development of the overarching Children and Young People's Policy Framework, 2012-2017, to guide the development and implementation of policy and services for children and young people in the State, will use cross-departmental collaboration to achieve its objectives. Early childhood care and education programmes, especially aimed at low income families, are priorities. The role of early intervention and support programmes for the most vulnerable children and their families will be enhanced in the context of the new Child and Family Support Agency under the DCYA. Programmes developed within the network of 107 family resource centres, funded through the DCYA and the results of three Dublin-based pilot projects to enhance children's development (jointly funded by the DCYA with a philanthropic organisation), will also inform the Government's plans to develop a new area
