A substantial rise in monthly child benefit is among the measures which the NESC has recommended for tackling poverty. It also called for social welfare payments to be linked to improvements in the general standard of living.
The gap between the poor and the rest of society had widened in recent years, it said. This is particularly so for the unemployed, people with disabilities and people working in the home.
Increasing child benefit (i.e. the monthly Children's Allowance) was the best way to support families through the social welfare system, it argued.
Child benefit is payable in respect of all children, regardless of their parents' income. The report argued that it should be increased substantially and taxed when paid to those in the tax net.
Average incomes had risen faster than social welfare payments in the past 12 years, the report said. Social welfare increases should be linked to improvements in the general standard of living.
But before index-linking began, the basic social welfare payments should be increased to adequate levels. It suggested that the social partners should work out and agree what would be adequate. One possible measure of adequacy, for example, could be welfare rates equal to half the average income. Once that was achieved, future increases could be linked to improvements in the standard of living.
Referring to what it called the "paradox" of unemployment coexisting with labour shortages, the report suggested that specific programmes be devised to help those "who are not making the transition to the positions that currently exist". These programmes could feature literacy and numeracy training, good presentation, speaking effectively and confidence-building.
It suggested a new future for the current Community Employment Scheme in the light of the improvements in the economy. This should take the form of a Social Economy Programme which would have two "streams".
The first would provide commercially viable services which met social needs; the second would provide "non-market" services, such as those which are currently provided under Community Employment Schemes. Examples of the latter would be administration services for voluntary groups and caretaking services for schools.
Where particular areas had concentrations of poor people living in them, projects such as community centres, education centres and enterprise-support units should be funded by the State, it said.
On housing, it called for:
A substantial increase in social housing with more co-operative and voluntary housing schemes.
A much larger and better-functioning rental sector, with the involvement of institutions, both commercial and voluntary, in providing rental accommodation.
An initiative to tackle homelessness, involving statutory and voluntary agencies in each health board region.
More emergency hostel accommodation.