The battle against poverty is at a crossroads with its eradication in sight if there is the will to achieve it, the Combat Poverty Agency has said.
Any incoming government should continue to provide adequate resources for anti-poverty measures in the likely harsher economic environment ahead, according to the director of the government-advisory body, Ms Helen Johnston.
Ms Johnston was speaking at the publication yesterday of the State agency's three-year strategic plan, Combating Poverty in a Changing Ireland. The plan says the adequacy of social welfare rates will be of "critical importance" in determining levels of poverty over the next few years. There is also a need to ensure that tax and welfare policy is more balanced towards the less well-off.
Ms Johnston said the agency was established in 1986 when there were high levels of unemployment and poverty, and was now operating in a climate of unprecedented economic growth with important advances made in tackling poverty and social exclusion.
The living standards of the poorest have improved and the number of people experiencing "consistent poverty" has fallen, she said. However, relative income poverty has not declined and the income gap between the better-off and the less well-off had widened.
Ms Johnston said evidence showed that societies with a more equal distribution of income achieved "more equal social outcomes which enable people to participate more fully in society. This requires addressing the structural causes of poverty. New and emerging causes of poverty also need to be identified and tackled."
The Government recently committed itself in its revised National Anti-Poverty Strategy to reducing the number of people who were "consistently poor" below 2 per cent by 2007, and to eliminating consistent poverty if possible. People are living in consistent poverty when they have a relatively low level of disposable income and lack basic necessities such as strong shoes, a warm coat or adequate food and heating. Consistent poverty fell to just over 6 per cent in 2000, compared to almost 10 per cent in 1997.
"The battle against poverty is now at a crossroads," said Ms Johnston. "The eradication of poverty is in sight and a concerted effort over the coming years is necessary to achieve this goal. Much has been achieved during the period of the outgoing government and the new National Anti-Poverty Strategy contains a strong commitment to continuing this work."
Under the strategic plan, the agency will carry out a study of the costs of child rearing aimed at informing children's welfare policy and will examine the links between racism, ethnicity and poverty. Yesterday's launch was attended by the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, who said key targets set in the revised National Anti-Poverty Strategy "will ensure that the focus of policy remains firmly centred on the eradication of poverty in our society".