David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of staff in the office for social inclusion, OSI; the cost of running the office in 2006; the projected cost for 2007; the role of the OSI; and the interaction between his Department and the OSI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7999/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The office for Social Inclusion (OSI) was set up in 2002 under the National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS) as part of the institutional structure of the NAPS and to be responsible for the implementation of the strategy and monitoring of progress and for research and data development. The Office is within my Department and has been involved in the development and co-ordination of the recent National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 (NAPinclusion) and in the preparation of the social inclusion elements of Towards 2016 and the National Development Plan 2007-2013 (NDP). The total cost of running the Office for Social Inclusion amounted to €633,192 in 2006 and the estimated cost for 2007 is €883,000.

The strategic framework embodied in the new NAPinclusion will facilitate greater co-ordination and integration of structures and procedures across Government at national and local levels to achieve more effective implementation. Arrangements are also in place for a more comprehensive monitoring process that encompasses Towards 2016 and the NDP. A key element of this process will be the preparation by the OSI of an annual Social Inclusion Report, which will review progress against targets on an annual basis, identify any new issues arising which might benefit from a more co-ordinated approach and report on stakeholders' views emerging from various fora.

The OSI will also be involved in the preparation of regular national reports to the EU to ensure exchange between Member States of knowledge, experience, expertise and good practice on social protection and social inclusion. OSI will also participate in mechanisms to foster North-South co-operation on social inclusion issues.

In addition to its co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation roles, the OSI is responsible for the development of support functions to underpin the social inclusion process. These include the development of a data strategy to ensure that progress against targets can be effectively monitored; research on the nature and causes of poverty and social exclusion in today's society and on the effectiveness of the policies and programmes designed to meet these challenges; and the development and implementation across central and local government of Poverty Impact Assessment guidelines.

The role of the OSI is kept under review in the context of the development of strategy on poverty and social inclusion in order to ensure that the arrangements for putting forward the social inclusion agenda generally continue to be effective and efficient.

Further information about the Office and its work can be viewed on its website — www.socialinclusion.ie.