NCT Watch

Mary Bradley MLA, asked the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail its delivery plan to eradicate child poverty.

In response the Rt Hon Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness said that it was totally unacceptable that around 100,000 children live in poverty in Northern Ireland and that the Executive is determined to tackle this issue as a priority. They highlighted that their Programme for Government commits specifically to:

They also stated that there are a number of policies which currently aim to lift children out of poverty. These include tax and benefit policies set by the UK Government, and Programmes such as Early Years, New Deal and Sure Start which are the responsibility of Northern Ireland Departments, but that more needs to be done if the targets are to be achieved. Consequently, the Executive will soon adopt its own Strategy to tackle poverty and social exclusion based on objective need. In so doing it will take account of the findings and recommendations coming out of the current enquiry by the OFMDFM Committee. The findings from their own departmental work on tackling disadvantage and barriers experienced by lone parents and people with disabilities, which is nearing completion, will also be taken into account.