Efforts at tackling poverty criticised by agency

Government efforts at tackling poverty "clearly haven't been enough" the Director of the Combat Poverty Agency has said.

Ms Helen Johnston, speaking at the publication yesterday of the agency's annual report, said the fact that a quarter of all children, or 370,000, were living in households where the head of the household was in receipt of €147 a week or less, and that almost 90,000 children were living in "consistent poverty", was "certainly of concern".

Consistent poverty, which is defined as not having enough money to buy such things as a warm coat, a second pair of shoes and to have a hot meal every day, affects 71,000 households.

The agency is calling on the Government to make the tackling of family and child poverty a "highest priority" next year.

As 2004 would be the tenth anniversary of the UN International Year of the Family and Ireland held the Presidency of the EU until June, next year represented "a unique opportunity for Ireland to promote family policy that supports all families, particularly those in poverty," said Ms Johnston.

The families at greatest risk of poverty, says the agency, are those headed by a lone-parent (26 per cent, or 40,000, of whom are in consistent poverty); those with four or more children (16 per cent or 12,600); single adults - particularly elderly women living alone - and those in various vulnerable categories, such as the unemployed and those headed by a person with a disability.

The overall rate of consistent poverty is 5½ per cent of the population. Ms Johnston said there were also "an increasing number of employees at risk of poverty in low-pay, inconsistent jobs".

While consistent poverty has fallen since 1994, when 15 per cent of the population was at risk, to 5½ per cent today, relative poverty has increased, from 15 per cent in 1994 to 22 per cent today. Relative poverty means to be living on less than 50 per cent of the average industrial wage.

This growing social inequality is likely to increase further unless social welfare payments are increased proportionately in line with the average industrial wage, continued Ms Johnston.

Calling on the Government to fulfil its commitment to increase child benefit to €149.50 per month as well as to the minimum social welfare rate to €150 per week, she said poverty damaged "children's well-being as well as their future well-being as adults".

The agency is also calling for the expansion of the school meal/breakfast scheme, progress on the provision of universal quality affordable childcare, an increase in the number of pre-school places for disadvantaged children to 10,000 and extension of supports for families such as the Early Start and the Breaking the Cycle Programmes.

Labour Party spokesman on Social and Family Affairs, Mr Willie Penrose, said the report showed "the immense financial hardship which has been imposed on low-income families by the Government's cutbacks and stealth taxes, particularly over the last 12 months."

Combat Poverty is a Government-appointed body tasked with advising on anti-poverty strategies.