Government under fire over action plan to tackle poverty

ANTI-POVERTY groups have sharply criticised the new Government-backed national action plan to tackle poverty and social exclusion, launched yesterday by Social and Family Affairs Minister Mary Coughlan.

“This plan is a disgrace,” Brian Carty, policy officer with European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland said. “The Government has once again missed out on the opportunity to tackle poverty and social exclusion. Are they at all serious about ending poverty?”

Launching the plan, Ms Coughlan said it provided a clear roadmap towards the building of a fairer and more inclusive society and was a stage in the process of making a decisive impact on poverty by 2010 and beyond.