The social welfare increases proposed in the Social Welfare Bill and the December Bill fall short of the targets in the national anti-poverty strategy. There has been cross-party support for this strategy since 1997. I congratulated the Minister's predecessor, Deputy Dermot Ahern, when he reviewed the programme before the last election. There are significant targets set out within the programme. However, on the basis of the figures presented to the House by the Minister, those targets will not be met within the two-year timeframe set out by the review.