Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 13: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the claims made by CORI (details supplied) that in 1994 just 10.4 per cent of people receiving social welfare payments for illness or disability were at risk of poverty whereas in 2006 the figures for same is 49.4 per cent; his views on the claim; the reasons for this occurrence; the implications for society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17665/06]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 80: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to claims made by CORI (details supplied) that in 1994, 29.5 per cent of households headed by a person with an illness or a disability were at risk of poverty whereas in 2006 the figure for same is 54 per cent; his views on this claim; the implications for society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17664/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 80 together.

The barriers faced by people with disabilities and indeed other groups who are vulnerable to poverty are multi-faceted and require a multi agency response. The National Action Plan Against Poverty and Social Exclusion (NAP/inclusion) sets out the framework for the Government's response to these problems and comprises the range of policies and programmes, along with specific targets and actions for such areas as income and employment supports, health and education, aimed at reducing or ideally eliminating poverty and social exclusion.

The plan specifically targets people with disabilities as one of a number of groups who are particularly vulnerable to poverty and social exclusion. The overall aim for people with disabilities is to increase their participation in work and society generally, and to assist them and their families to lead full and independent lives. The Plan details specific targets and actions which include: rehabilitative training provision and skills development; increased participation in third level education; specific employment supports for people with disabilities and employers; access to health care; and, care of people with disabilities.

The Office for Social Inclusion, which is based in my Department, has overall responsibility for developing, co-ordinating and driving the National Action Plan. Following an extensive consultation process, a new Action Plan (2006-08) is being prepared at present. The consultation process confirmed that persons with disabilities still constitute a group that is vulnerable to poverty and social exclusion and services for the disabled require to be improved and to be delivered in a more integrated fashion. The approach to be set out in the new plan will take account of these findings.

The Office for Social Inclusion is also developing a data strategy, designed to ensure that the necessary data is available for monitoring, evaluation, policy prioritising, targeting and overall policy development. One element of this strategy is the identification and filling of data gaps which prevent accurate measurement of progress against targets contained in the NAP/inclusion. The Office for Social Inclusion is currently consulting with other Government Departments to identify how these gaps can be filled.

The Government remains committed to continuing efforts to alleviate poverty, especially for those who have not been in a position to benefit from the employment opportunities afforded by high economic growth. Over the past five years, social welfare payments have actually increased by 55.5%, well ahead of the 16.4% increase in the Consumer Price Index, and the 28.2% increase in gross average industrial earnings. This represents an increase in real terms of 33.6%, in comparison to a real increase industrial earnings of 10.1%.

However, households where a person has moved from inactivity to employment will of course have seen a more significant rise in their income and many households have indeed moved from having one income to two. As a result, while many people with disabilities who are not in employment saw their living standards improve, their position relative to that of other people fell back. Thus, whilst the buoyancy in the labour market may benefit people with disabilities, as part of the wider population seeking employment, it is clear that more specific measures may be required if their employment rates are to substantially increase.

There has been a significant increase in spending on disability services, with over EUR2.9 billion, representing almost 7.5% of gross public expenditure spent in 2005 in this way. This compares with expenditure of just under EUR0.8 billion in 1997 and represents an almost fourfold increase in eight years. This does not include the EUR2 billion spent by Government in 2005 on income supports for people with disability, illness and their carers.

The Government has also guaranteed a multi-annual Investment Programme totalling over EUR900 million, comprising both capital and current funding for high priority disability support services over the years 2006 to 2009. The funding is focused mainly in the health and education sectors and will enhance service levels where they are most needed.

The National Disability Strategy represents a further commitment by Government to drive forward a significant evolution in policy and provision for people with disabilities. The Disability Act, 2005, is one element of this Strategy and gives a statutory basis to the policy of mainstreaming public service delivery. In addition the Act establishes an innovative system for sectoral planning which will ensure that key mainstream sectors will have clear goals for delivering services to people with disabilities and plans to implement these goals in a transparent way. My Department is in the process of completing its sectoral plan, to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in July 2006, and includes actions for inter-departmental co-operation in relation to the development of services for people with disabilities.

The National Disability Strategy thus presents an opportunity for Government to consider the needs of people with disabilities in a more comprehensive and coherent way. Clearly, the main focus of my Department is to provide income support for people with disabilities who cannot provide for themselves and thereby tackle the underlying problem of the relatively high level of poverty amongst people with disabilities. In line with the current policy orientation, my Department will seek to deliver these supports in a way which reduces the risk of dependence and allows more people to move from a position of income dependence to one where they can, to a far greater extent, meet their income needs from employment.