Have the Taoiseach's early morning beavers drawn to his attention the latest report by the Combat Poverty Agency, carried out by Professor Mary Daly of Queen's University, Belfast, showing what life is like after the Celtic tiger in some of the more disadvantaged urban and rural communities? People are living on an average of €124 per week, with children on €50. Half of them are struggling with debt and a third are living with serious health problems arising from poverty. Half of them are living in fear in Dublin. Children are being bullied at school because they do not have the latest designer gear and are often attacked as a result. In one case, a 14 year old girl was hospitalised after an attack by her peers. Is it not a scandal that this is the reality of disadvantaged urban and rural communities after all the years of affluence?

There has been no significant transfer of resources to the areas in question. The Taoiseach promised the RAPID programme to tackle disadvantage two years ago, but not €1 has been paid out since. This was another stunt coming up to the general election to convey the caring side of Fianna Fáil when dealing with real disadvantage. The report, however, shows the reality for the communities concerned. People are besieged in their homes, living in fear with no adequate Garda protection or policing. Will the Taoiseach tell the House what the Government intends to do in the next budget about the report of the Combat Poverty Agency?

This and more recent Combat Poverty reports have shown that there has been an improvement. It has shown very clearly, taken on the same benchmark as the NAPS used in 1996, that there are about 400,000 people out of the relative poverty net – as against the 14% six years ago it is now about 6%. We have also seen across the areas with which Deputy Rabbitte and I are both familiar, an enormous amount of investment in deprived neighbourhoods and an enormous increase in the number of gardaí. We have seen more money spent in these areas than has been spent in about two generations. We have seen unemployment in these areas drop from 70% and 80% a decade ago to about 10% or less. The distributional effect, taking into account not only income but the circumstances of those in relative poverty, has been increased enormously. It is not true and I categorically deny that in these communities there has not been significant benefit. Every report carried out in the last five years has shown that the distributional effect of what has happened in recent years improved the position. Of course, in the most deprived areas there are still problems which will have to be dealt with. In areas where we launched the RAPID programme, such as Bridgefoot Street, we have seen in a short period the denuding of those flats, new houses and new accommodation to high standards. I am sure Deputy Rabbitte is well aware of that happening in his own area. The improvements, extensions and developments have not eliminated all the problems – I would not dare say that – but the level of poverty has been substantially reduced.

In relation to bullying, on Monday I launched a booklet on bullying in schools prepared by the Department of Education and Science and other organisations. It shows bullying is a major problem, which was not identified in other generations – I acknowledge that – and sets out how it can be dealt with. It pulls together all the organisations from district health nurses to the child welfare system and the school inspectorate to deal with and tackle this issue. I acknowledge this was never done before. It has now been identified as a problem that has to be dealt with. All of these issues required resources. They have now got resources and hopefully work will continue on them.

This is the first time for a while I have seen the Taoiseach caught without a note from his battalion of advisers and it shows—

I have a note but do not need it.

—-he is talking through his hat.

He did not need a note.

There were 14% in relative poverty when Deputy Rabbitte was in office, it is now 6%.

Deputy Rabbitte has just one minute.

May I have a bit of silence from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform? If he policed my area and these areas there would be a better response from the people. The Taoiseach is talking through his hat and he knows it.

Hear, hear.

He has not even referred to the report that was published this morning. He has not even seen it. In fact it shows that because of the relative affluence of the Celtic tiger—

A question please.

I will ask the question in my own way if you do not mind. Is it not the case, Taoiseach, that the report shows that because of the relative affluence the position of people in these disadvantaged and marginalised communities, about which the Minister, Deputy McDowell, would know nothing, is worsening?

Deputy Rabbitte—

I know this: when the Deputy was in office the poverty level was appalling and he did nothing.

Is it not the case—

Will the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform allow Deputy Rabbitte—

—that one single euro, after two years—

The Deputy—

The €800 that the Minister, Deputy McDowell, gave his mates in the tribunals would do wonders for the poverty in these communities.

The €800 a day that you negotiated with your mates.

If Deputy Rabbitte directed his comments through the Chair he might not invite interruption.

Here there are four on €124. Is it not the case that not one single euro has been paid out under the RAPID programme which was supposed to transfer resources to these communities? In these communities is it any wonder people drop out of school early, that they have no prospects of a job, that there is no policing in the area, that they take to joyriding, that there is a drugs problem and that a reputable academic from QUB professes herself shocked to find the reality of poverty in the Republic of Ireland at the end of the life of the Celtic tiger?

And the Deputy wants to get rid of the pension fund.

Every single report including this morning's report shows very clearly that relative poverty has declined.

Consistent poverty.

Deputy Rabbitte does not want me to quote from my note but I will since he asked me. The ESRI and the Combat Poverty Agency, the last budget and this report have noted that the greatest gains—

That is not in this report. The Taoiseach has not seen it.

The Taoiseach without interruption.

Those at the bottom of the income scale have gained from the last budget.

Why does he not—

It might be up a tree somewhere.

It notes that the Government policies, including budgetary policies over the past number of years, have contributed to creating almost 400,000 new jobs, reducing consistent poverty from 10% in 1997 to 6% today, reducing child poverty from 17% in 1997 to 8%—

That is not in today's report.

That has nothing to do with the report.

—reducing unemployment—

The Taoiseach has not even seen the report.

These are the facts from the report. Unemployment has been reduced from 10.3% in 1997 to 4.3%. I can well understand why Members opposite are upset that these figures are coming out to show that poverty has declined rapidly.

Before calling Deputy Sargent I want to draw the attention of the House to the fact that the Standing Order in regard to leaders' questions is very specific and straightforward.

The Chair might tell the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to restrain himself.

Deputy Higgins should not interrupt when the Chair is speaking. The leader of each party is entitled to ask a question of the Taoiseach. They have two minutes to ask the question and the Taoiseach has three minutes to reply. The questioner has one minute to ask a supplementary and the Taoiseach has one minute to reply. No other Member is entitled to interrupt.

Why do you not tell that to the other side of the House?

In fairness to the leaders of the parties and in fairness to the Taoiseach they are entitled to have their say in this House without interruption.