Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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665. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to list all national strategies, action plans or documents that may be described as such, which are currently in operation and under the remit of his Department. [39615/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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There are a number of national strategies that my Department is responsible for:

• The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 builds on the work of its predecessors with the aim to reduce consistent poverty to 2% or less and to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive countries in the EU'.  Most of the commitments have been achieved.
• Pathways to Work 2021-2025 is the national employment services strategy.  At the time of its publication in July 2021, the labour market was recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and accordingly, the aim of the strategy was two-fold – to assist people who had lost their jobs because of COVID-19, and to support those already unemployed before the pandemic or facing additional barriers to access work.  There are more people at work in Ireland than ever in the history of the State.
• The Department’s Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy 2024 - 2028 (www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/52668-compliance-and-anti-fraud-strategy-2024-2028/) lays a strong emphasis on minimising the risks of fraud and eliminating incorrect payments.  This involves appropriate checks at the point of claim, strengthened by systematic reviews of claims in payment and verification that the conditions for entitlement continue to be met, including means, residency and medical reviews.  It also includes an annual programme of control surveys which allows the Department to identify risks and address any control weaknesses across the various scheme areas.
• The Department also prepares a Statement of Strategy of high level ambitions and outcomes.  This is presented to the Minister within six months of his appointment.  I understand that I will receive this Strategy Statement within the statutory deadline.