Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Much of the money we use or that we spent towards the last plan was ring-fenced for certain schemes. I do not see any difference with regard to achieving the objectives in this plan. As I said, it is a whole-of-Government approach. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is not going to wipe out poverty on its own. As much as social transfers have an enormous impact on people's weekly incomes, they certainly do not wipe out poverty. The only way we will be able to wipe out consistent poverty is to provide not only the income supports people need, the activation into work and the continuous support for people in that work until they achieve such levels of income that they do not need support from the State, but also public transport, public health and child care that is supported financially by the State. There are myriad things that will reflect around the lives of people living in consistent poverty to improve them.

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