Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

This new division can provide a stronger voice for those affected by poverty and social inclusion issues. I am conscious of the concerns about the need for independent scrutiny of public policy that have been expressed by some interest groups. I agree that independent critique is very important and this move is not intended to reduce the scope for such work. As the review report notes, the function of independent reporting on poverty is no longer as dependent on the Combat Poverty Agency as it was in earlier years. This is due, for example, to the emergence of other independent data sources, such as the statistics on poverty reported by the CSO, and independent analyses by bodies such as the ESRI and NESC, and on the international front by the EU and OECD.

Ireland is well served by the social partners and a wide range of NGOs and other groups who have a strong voice in public debate about poverty and related issues. I intend to prioritise putting in place procedures to ensure that the views of these and other stakeholders, including people experiencing poverty, continue to be available to Government in developing and monitoring the social inclusion strategies. The Department is currently finalising proposals as to how this might be achieved.

Another body the Government examined as part of the review of State agencies was the Money Advice and Budgeting Service. MABS staff provide a highly valued service to people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. However, it has been recognised for some time that the service needs a proper legislative basis and structure. It has been decided that this can best be achieved by placing MABS with the Citizens Information Board. The MABS and citizens information centres complement each other as both are involved in providing information, advice and advocacy services to the public. In addition, the CIB has a long association with the MABS at both national and local level and was involved in establishing some of the original MABS pilot projects. I stress that there will be no change in the status of the 53 independent MABS companies, nor in the employment status of their 240 employees.

These are the main elements of the financial and other changes incorporated in the social and family affairs part of budget 2009. With extra funding of €2.6 billion next year, a range of improvements will be made in social welfare schemes, including €7 extra per week for State pensioners; €6.50 extra per week for welfare recipients of working age, such as jobseekers and those on illness benefit; an extra €2 per week on the fuel allowance, with payment also being made for an additional two weeks; increases in child-related payments to those dependent on social welfare and improvements in the family income supplement for low income working families; and 18,000 more families becoming eligible for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance.

To fund these improvements along with making payments to increasing numbers of people on the live register, it has been necessary to make savings in some areas.

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