Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

This question relates to a study, the title of which includes the words "Day In, Day Out" which is a good phrase to use in regard to politics.

I recently launched the Combat Poverty Agency study on the dynamics of child poverty. The study's key findings are that children tend to move in and out of poverty and that child poverty, and its duration, are affected by a wide range of factors, including the employment, education and health status of parents, and by the number and age of children in the household. The report recommends that the policy response to child poverty should be multi-dimensional in nature and should focus on income supports combined with measures that support employment, education and accessibility of services such as child care and health.

The Government has a strategic process in place for combating poverty, including child poverty, in the form of the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion and the national children's strategy. Ending Child Poverty was also one of ten special initiatives under the social partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress. While these elements remain under active progression, I fully expect that the successor to Sustaining Progress and the next NAP/inclusion 2006-08 will add further impetus to the process.

It is estimated that some 65,000 children remain in consistent poverty and moving these children out of poverty remains my absolute priority. In this regard, I intend to build on the good progress that has been made thus far. Some 100,000 children have been lifted out of deprivation inside the last decade as a result of targeted measures and supports. The most significant measure my Department has taken in recent years to support families with children has been the very substantial real increases in child benefit rates, of which the Deputies are aware.

I have also made substantial improvements to the family income supplement which assists families at work on low pay. Assessment of entitlement to payment is now on the basis of net rather than gross income, while increases in the income limits have made it easier for lower-income households to qualify under the scheme. My Department also undertook a very successful nationwide awareness campaign last March, as was mentioned earlier.

In addition to the improvements outlined, budget 2006 contained a range of measures aimed at families with children. More than 350,000 children under six years of age, in 250,000 families, will qualify for the new annual €1,000 early child care supplement which will be paid on an agency basis by my Department. The cost of the supplement will be approximately €360 million in a full year.

One of the key tasks in the Ending Child Poverty initiative under Sustaining Progress was to address obstacles to employment for lone parents. As the House is aware, I launched a major Government discussion paper, Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents. That report puts forward proposals for reforms in this area. These proposals are currently the subject of an extensive consultation process and, as I said previously, I hope to bring forward proposals for legislation in the course of this year.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Preparation of an implementation plan regarding the non-income recommendations of the discussion paper is in progress.

The establishment of the Office of the Minister for Children under the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Brian Lenihan, represents a major reorganisation of policy and services for children that will facilitate the development of a strategic and co-ordinated approach to children policy and the delivery of services both at national and local level.

I am confident that, through the targeted measures already being taken by the Government and the initiatives being planned, a decisive and lasting impact will be made in the eradication of child poverty.

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