Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The NAPS programme was evaluated last year by the European Commission, which carried out a peer review on best practice. The European Community noted that MABS is one of best practice and a number of colleague have come to look at the setting up of the system. Last year we evaluated the entire NAPS, which includes income, education, housing and health targets. We have to a considerable extent reached some of the income related targets, for example the target that the old age pension would be increased to €200. Another target was to increase in 2002 terms the baseline payment of €150 and that is being progressed by €10 each year. We have made steady progress on meeting our targets during the lifetime of the Government. I believe one has to have targets to work towards if one is sincere in addressing the issue of poverty. A former Minister, not of my party, was the first to decide to introduce a national anti-poverty strategy.