Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 572: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans for tackling poverty, especially child poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19771/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Combating poverty and building an inclusive society are key priorities for the Government. The National Action Plan for Social Inclusion (NAPinclusion) and the social inclusion commitments in the National Development Plan were drawn up in consultation with the social partners and after a wide ranging consultation process with other stakeholders. They set out clear goals, demanding targets and a detailed programme of action to meet these goals and targets during the period 2007-2016.

The overall poverty goal in the NAPinclusion is to reduce the number of those experiencing consistent poverty to between 2 per cent and 4 per cent by 2012, with the aim of eliminating consistent poverty by 2016. It adopts a lifecycle approach, in line with Towards 2016 , with specific, measurable goals set for each group: children; people of working age; older people and people with disabilities; and their communities. Four of the twelve high level goals in the Plan focus on education initiatives and adequate income supports for children. Detailed action targets cover health, education, income support, early childhood development and care and participation to ensure that children reach their true potential.

The social welfare commitments in the Programme for Government prioritise the objectives of the NAPinclusion. They include; improvements in the State Pension and the Carers Allowance, in Child Benefit and in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and the School Meals Programme. The Office for Social Inclusion (OSI) in my Department is responsible for progressing the use of poverty impact assessments by government departments, local authorities and statutory agencies in the development of policies and programmes to ensure that the Government's social inclusion agenda is achieved. I am confident that OSI will continue to support Departments and agencies across the public service in addressing the social inclusion agenda.

My plans, in working with Government to deliver the programme over the coming years, are to build on the significant and visible progress that has been made in reducing poverty in the past 10 years and to deliver real improvements in living standards and well-being for the most vulnerable in our society.