Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 90: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding his campaign against child poverty; the impact of the Budget 2007 measures on this campaign; the nature of especially targeted measures in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43238/06]

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

The Government is determined to substantially reduce child poverty — the evidence of this is in last week's Budget in which I announced a range of measures costing over €240 million to benefit children and families. These measures include combining three rates of Child Dependant Allowance payments into a new single high rate Qualified Child Allowance of €22 per week that will benefit over 340,000 children of families on welfare. I am also increasing the rate of Child Benefit by €10 per week. This increase will apply to all children benefiting over 560,000 families in respect of approximately 1,134,000 children, and will be effective from April 2007.

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance provides additional income support for the poorest families at a particularly difficult time of the year. With this in mind, I am increasing the allowance by €60 for children aged 2 to 11, and by €95 for children aged 12 to 22, bringing the rates of payment to €180 and €285 respectively. I have also made provision for additional funding of €3 million to extend the School Meals Programme.

Other budgetary measures, such as the €20 per week increase in the lowest social welfare rate to €185.80 and increases in the earnings thresholds for One Parent Family Payment and Family Income Supplement, will also indirectly benefit children living in poorer households. The package of measures for children and families in Budget 2006 is in addition to recent initiatives such as the new €1,000 a year early childcare supplement for all children under 6 years and the creation of additional childcare places.

In addition to these provisions, preparation of a new National Action Plan for Social Inclusion is currently being coordinated by the Office for Social Inclusion in my Department for launch early in the New Year. Building on the social inclusion provisions in the partnership agreement, Towards 2016, the Plan will adopt a lifecycle approach by assessing the risks which individuals face at each stage of the life cycle and the supports they need to effectively meet these risks. The groups focused on using this approach are Children, People of Working Age, Older People and People with Disabilities. This strategic framework is also being designed to create more coherent and integrated structures that will greatly assist in achieving more effective implementation of the plan. It is also expected to facilitate better and more effective reporting and monitoring across the spectrum of government activity in the area of social inclusion. Ending child poverty remains a key priority for this Government and for me personally as Minister for Social and Family Affairs.