Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

No, you try to avoid those if at all possible. We will not get into football, for Cork is doing quite well in the league at the moment, and Donegal is not doing particularly well anywhere. We are going to be relegated, so we will skip that analysis.

The review of the strategy will certainly be very helpful to us all when we examine what targets are to be set. The strategy covers not only social welfare but many other services, something which gives a more comprehensive view of how we can tackle the issues. I would certainly like, as I am sure would all the elected representatives in both Houses, to be able to achieve the goal of eliminating poverty. We must work towards that. We are making progress towards fulfilling those commitments, particularly that concerning old age pensions. The €10 increase will achieve our goal in the programme for Government, as well as attaining part of the national anti-poverty strategy. I certainly see us achieving our aims in that strategy.

Recently I have had the social inclusion office set up in the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Its director will be co-ordinating the implementation of the national anti-poverty strategy and pushing other Departments as well as my own to achieve the goals that we have set ourselves. There is no need for another review or report on the issue, for we will have that in July 2003.