Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

This amendment would require another report. A frequent criticism is that we have initiated so many reports over the last number of years and people ask what use they have. I appreciate that the Senator is looking at the NAPS and the programme for Government which we have five years to deliver. The NAPS was reviewed in February of this year. It is an extensive and all-encompassing programme, also of five years duration, taking in not just payments and adequacies of payments but also many other targets. In that context there is not a huge necessity to commission yet another report.

However, as elected representatives the Senators have taken the opportunity, I am sure, to look at the implications of any budgetary matter and review it over the year, which is something I will do in the numerous reviews which are taking place in the Department of many of the schemes. Some of these have been brought to my attention and Members of both Houses would like me to review and re-assess them. In that context, the Department will continually review the income adequacies of payments. In the NAPS programme we were moving towards €150 per week in 2002. We have already achieved that and we are moving towards €200 in the old age pensions by 2007.

It is also important to reiterate that increases must take account of available resources. I am sure that some people on my right will remind me about promises. The following commitment has been made: "The Government will continue to pursue a strategy of increasing social welfare payments, as resources permit, so that people will have an income level to sustain an acceptable standard of living." It is therefore unfair and a little disingenuous to say that we have not delivered. We are doing it in the context of the resources and the targets, which are the pensions, and the €150 base line in 2002.