Sir, - Maev-Ann Wren suggests that the "National Anti-Poverty Strategy . . . can be credited with reducing absolute deprivation" in Ireland (The Irish Times, May 19th). Presumably what she has in mind is "basic deprivation" as it is measured by the ESRI. The most recent evidence available shows that the percentage of Irish households experiencing basic deprivation decreased between 1994 and 1997. (See T. Callan et al., Monitoring Poverty Trends, Stationery Office, 1999.) Since the National Anti-Poverty Strategy was only launched in 1997, it can hardly be credited with this decrease. - Yours, etc.,
Seosamh Mac Carthaigh, Raheny, Dublin 5.
Maev-Ann Wren writes: The launch in early 1997 to which Mr MacCarthaigh refers was the first announcement of formal targets for the NAPS. However, elements of the strategy like poverty-proofing of government policies were coming on stream before that.