Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this. I welcome the recent publication of the 2021 survey on income and living conditions, which shows improvements across all key national poverty indicators. The data once again show that our social protection system performs strongly in protecting our most vulnerable citizens. Social transfers have reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate from 38.6% to 11.6%. This represents a 70% reduction on the at-risk-of-poverty rate in 2021.

Ireland is consistently one of the best performing EU countries in reducing poverty through social transfers. Notwithstanding this progress, we should all acknowledge that there is always more that can be done. However, what we do must be informed by evidence. Towards this end, my Department funds a large body of research, including the work of the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, to develop and calculate the MESL. I find this work very useful in informing policy. One of the benefits of the work of the Vincentians is that it provides the different levels of income needed for a wide range of household types, including the different costs that arise for households in rural and urban locations.

In recent years, my Department has used the study as a key input into the consideration of budget options. For example, MESL research has consistently identified families with children and older people living alone as being less likely to meet the MESL. In light of this, over successive budgets, qualified child payments have been significantly increased and a new higher rate for children aged 12 and over was introduced in 2019. The living alone allowance has also been increased by a total of €13 per week over the last three years in response to MESL and other research that highlights the higher risk of poverty and social isolation for those who are living alone. I assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to be guided by research, including MESL research, to target resources at those who are identified as being most in need.

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