Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 65: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the plans she has to tackle child poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26066/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Tackling child poverty is a priority for Government and a key goal of the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007- 2016, coordinated by the Department of Social Protection. Children are more likely to be poor if they are living in lone parent households with low labour market participation and dependant on income support. The Government programme sets out a framework to achieve real and sustainable economic growth, increase employment and protect the most vulnerable in society.

As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, improving children's outcomes is a key objective. Early childhood care and education programmes, in particular those that are aimed at low income families, are important priorities in my Department to enhance children's opportunities for social and educational development and to support parents undertaking training and participating in employment. The network of 107 family resource centres that are funded by the Family Support Agency, under the remit of my Department, also have an important role in this regard. These programmes will inform the Government's plans to develop an area based approach to child poverty.

My priority, as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, is to enhance the role of early intervention and support programmes for the most vulnerable children and their families in the context of the new Child and Family Support Services Agency.

My Department works closely with other departments and agencies with shared objectives to secure better outcomes for children and young people. In particular, my Department works closely with the Department of Social Protection which is charged with the development of appropriate social protection policies, including in respect of children affected by poverty. My Department is represented on the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare established by the Minister for Social Protection to examine issues to do with the interactions of the tax and welfare systems so that they provide good incentives for parents to take up and remain in work and thereby contribute to the reduction of poverty and child poverty, in particular.