Combat Poverty makes this submission on Budget 2004 in accordance with its statutory role to advise the Minister for Social and Family Affairs on all aspects of economic and social policy pertaining to poverty. The theme of the submission is Investing in the future: ending child and family poverty.

The submission takes as its starting point government policy to build a fair and inclusive society, in particular commitments to end child poverty and to strengthen family life. In prioritising child and family poverty, the Government will be targeting those in greatest need. It will also be investing in the economic potential of children and their parents. The priorities for ending child and family poverty identified in the submission are a) child income support, b) welfare payments for families and c) employment supports (cost €905 million). These proposals, if implemented, will result in a 1 per cent drop in relative income poverty, with a positive knock on effect on consistent poverty.