Sustaining Progress - Department of Taoiseach

■ provide high quality public services to all.
Breaking the cycle by providing levels of support to those relying on social welfare sufficient to
sustain dignity and avoid poverty, while also facilitating participation in employment for those people
who are in a position to achieve economic independence is central.
It remains Government policy to meet the target for the lowest social welfare rates and appropriate
child equivalence levels as set out in the revised NAPS by 2007, on the basis set out in the Strategy.
During the period of the Agreement, increases in the rates will be made in order to achieve
this target.
The final phase of the planned multi-annual increases in Child Benefit rates will be completed in
2004 and 2005.
The Social Inclusion Consultative Committee will involve the social partners and anti-poverty experts
in the ongoing review of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy as appropriate, in the context of the
“NAPSincl” process.
The Department of Health and Children is committed to putting in place a range of community-based
services required to address the needs of a small but challenging group of children with significant
needs. The Special Residential Services Board and the Social Services Inspectorate will be established
on a statutory basis in early 2003.
5.1.4 Pensions
The Government has decided, having regard to the recommendations in the National Pensions Policy
Initiative (NPPI) Report to increase social welfare pensions over a 5-10 year period to 34% of average
industrial earnings, that the level of social welfare pension will be improved to reach a target level of
€200 by 2007 in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government. Progress will also be
made towards implementing the commitments to implementation of improvements in Widow(er)’s
Pensions and to increase the level of qualified adult allowance for pensioner spouses to the level of
the old age (non-contributory) pension.
The Government considers the development of the pensions system as a priority as it is concerned to
ensure that people can, as far as possible, maintain their pre-retirement standard of living. In this
regard, the Pensions (Amendment) Act, 2002 provides for the introduction of Personal Retirement
Savings Accounts (PRSAs) which will be available to the public early in 2003. The PRSA is a low-cost,
flexible pension product that will be used to further Government policy to increase supplementary
pensions coverage.
A Government-sponsored information and awareness campaign to promote and encourage
supplementary pensions provision amongst workers will be undertaken by the Pensions Board in 2003.
A review of the qualifying conditions for Old Age (Contributory) and Retirement Pensions,
incorporating proposals for the development of the existing Homemaker’s Scheme, will be published
in 2003.
Chapter 5 Delivering a Fair and Inclusive Society
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