Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I certainly appreciate the interest and passion of the Senators on this matter. The interest and passion is more about combating poverty than in just having an agency, and everybody would share that. That will always be at the core of my policies, particularly in the portfolio I now hold. Senators will be well aware that the development of the DEIS scheme in education was about doing the same thing. When I talk about a focused way, I mean ensuring there is not overlap and duplication and that it can work closely with other State agencies and Departments, including the National Economic and Social Development Office, the National Economic and Social Council and others I did not mention earlier. It can be very focused because it can start work immediately on, for example, preparing for the European Year of Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion in 2010. As a group, they will be working closely on that and it gives them a set project to do. Together they will benefit from it.

Research is a really important part. I know that Senator Norris of all people would appreciate the importance of evidence-based work. It has been a measure of the importance they attach to it that the Office of Social Inclusion and the Combat Poverty Agency have commissioned research. While that will continue, it will not be just research commissioned as a result of a request, but they will initiate that type of work. We can only combat poverty if we know where is the particular need. They will be able to identify it from work and research they will do. They will continue to do that work, sharing the expertise they will have from the new division. At a strong policy level they will undoubtedly be able to enhance their work. They will be able to do it in a way that will feed into the Cabinet committee on social inclusion and to the various other bodies I mentioned earlier. They will also bring their skills and expertise to it in a way that will ensure that the voice of people experiencing poverty is heard.

I appreciate the work that has been done in recent years. However, the review was established not as a budgetary issue, but to ascertain how the work can continue in a way that will benefit policy most and to ensure it is feeding in properly. As a result of the review, this was the recommendation. From the manner in which the board, the staff and officials in my Department are working through what I appreciate is a difficult time for the staff, it is clear they are very anxious to ensure they keep working on the projects and research they have been working on and that they can start preparing for the European Year of Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion as a joint group.

I believe the integration — not the abolition — of the agency into the Office for Social Inclusion will ensure we are drawing from the best of the skills and talents of both groups. The Office for Social Inclusion as it stands will also be disbanded and an entirely new unit will be set up. The agency should in no way feel that it is just being brought into an existing office. It will be a new unit and that will give everybody an opportunity to draw on the best of what they do.