Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent report produced by the Community Platform that national partnership is not meeting the needs of those living in poverty; his views on the findings of the Community Platform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11835/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The report, to which the Deputy refers is, I understand, the Community Platform's mid-term review of the Sustaining Progress agreement.

As Minister with overall responsibility for the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion, I could not agree with the platform's assertion that national partnership is not meeting the needs of people living in poverty. The Deputy will be aware that Sustaining Progress and the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion are complementary strategic initiatives aimed at delivering a fair and inclusive society to all citizens.

Between 2001 and 2005 spending on social welfare has increased from €7.8 billion to €12.2 billion. During the same period the lowest social welfare rates have increased by 40% while the consumer price index has increased by just over 13%. As a result of budget 2005, welfare payments have increased by three times the expected rate of inflation.

Over the lifetime of this Government substantial increases have been introduced under my Department's child benefit scheme, as a key element of our drive to combat child poverty. Between 1997 and April 2005, the rate of child benefit has risen from €38.09 per month for the first two children and €49.52 for each child thereafter to €141.60 per month for each of the first two children and to €177.30 per month for the third and each subsequent child. There have also been significant improvements in my Department's family income supplement scheme including the assessment of entitlements on the basis of net rather than gross income and progressive increases in the income limits. It must be further emphasised that all this is happening against the backdrop of Ireland having now achieved the lowest unemployment rates in the EU at 4.4%.

Poverty is a multidimensional problem, requiring actions across a wide range of policy areas if it is to be tackled decisively. In addition to income supports, the national action plan sets ambitious targets across a range of other policy areas, including employment, health, education, housing and accommodation, all of which impact on poverty and social exclusion.

Social inclusion commitments under Sustaining Progress, in particular many of the special initiatives to be progressed during the lifetime of the agreement, have added a strong impetus to the NAPS process. For example, as a result of the ending child poverty initiative for which my Department has lead responsibility, a number of specific actions have been introduced or are currently being progressed.

In order to address the situation of those children most at risk of poverty, I am giving serious consideration to the introduction of a second tier of supports, in addition to the child benefit and other support entitlements, aimed specifically at families in greatest need. Linked to this particularly are the vulnerable circumstances of many lone parents, who are mostly women. The existing support systems will be scrutinised over the coming months and changes considered to better reflect the needs of this group. My Department is also participating in an interdepartmental working group on early child care and education, chaired by the National Children's Office. The work of this committee is at an advanced stage and the outcome will make an important contribution to finding the right mix of services and income support to facilitate employment take-up and care for children. My Department is also involved in efforts to develop a strategy to eliminate obstacles to employment for lone parents.

There has been substantial social partnership involvement in the development and ongoing implementation of the national anti-poverty strategy and the current national action plan against poverty and social exclusion. The social partners are represented on the NAPS social inclusion consultative group, which, along with other institutional structures, supports the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the national action plan.