Republican News · Thursday 6 February 2002

Need for Child Poverty coalition shows government failure

Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin attended the launch of the End Child Poverty Coalition on Tuesday. He said the very need for the Coalition was an indictment of the failure of the government's economic policy.

The End Child Poverty Coalition consists of seven non-governmental organisations seeking to secure the elimination of child poverty by the government's target date of 2007.

"The new Child Poverty Coalition highlights the fact that there are 90,000 Irish children living in consistent poverty and nearly 250,000 in relative income poverty," said the Cavan/Monaghan TD. "The reality behind these statistics is children who go to school ill-clothed and ill-fed and who live in communities with few resources.

"The paltry increases in social welfare introduced in the Budget are being wiped out by inflation and will adversely affect children in low income families. At the same time the government has cut the budget for essential improvements and rebuilding of hundreds of primary schools throughout the country, which are in an appalling condition.

"Poverty also means poor housing and inadequate health care provision, all of which affects children worst. In these areas this government has failed to ensure equality for our citizens and they have made a renewed campaign against child poverty necessary. I pledge the support of Sinn Féin to this campaign."