The NAPS aims to tackle the causes of inter-generational transmission of poverty and support disadvantaged communities. It does this by identifying key targets in a number of areas that go to the heart of the underlying problems. As a global target, it uses the measure of consistent poverty developed by the ESRI from its expertise in the analysis of incomes and poverty to measure the progress made in addressing the issue of poverty in Ireland. The measure of consistent poverty uses income thresholds combined with deprivation indicators to measure the number of people or households in poverty. Recent years have seen significant reductions in the level of consistent poverty in Ireland, due, inter alia, to increases in employment and reductions in unemployment. This is what the Senator referred to in his analysis. At the end of the day, however, it is only an academic discussion. In 1994 the level of consistent poverty was 15.1% which was more than halved to 6% in 2000, the latest year for which figures are available.