THE extent of poverty in Irish society is "totally unacceptable and at variance with our constitutional aspiration to cherish each citizen of the State equally," according to the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Ahern.
The continuing failure to tackle unemployment is "undoubtedly the most important factor in preventing the overall community benefiting from our strong economic growth".
In developing its social welfare policy, Fianna Fail fully recognised "that the time has come to make substantial and identifiable progress against social deprivation in our society".
Operational efficiency is fundamental. There must be precision in the formulation and implementation of policy. Special emphasis should be placed on improving services to social welfare recipients.
"The political debate on poverty and deprivation must shift from the general to the specific. Early successes are vital in the fight against poverty in order to regenerate the public's confidence in our political system to effectively carry out its constitutional duty to each citizen of the State," Mr Ahern said in a statement.