Labour MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has hailed what he calls a “major progressive victory” as the European Union announced it will designate €20 billion in funding to tackle child poverty across the EU.
On Thursday, MEPs voted to enact the EU’s first-ever Anti-Poverty Strategy, with Ó Ríordáin acting as lead negotiator for the Socialists and Democrats, the 2nd-biggest grouping in the European Parliament.
The Parliament’s position will now directly inform the European Commission’s Anti-Poverty Strategy, expected to be unveiled in June ahead of Ireland’s EU Council Presidency.
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Labour MEP for Dublin, said “today, we made history. For the first time, the EU is treating poverty with the seriousness it demands. We are finally seeing action that recognises the violence poverty inflicts on humanity, democracy, and our political credibility.”
“We passed a bold report calling for Europe’s first-ever Anti-Poverty Strategy to include a dedicated €20 billion budget to combat child poverty. This funding will directly support the most vulnerable children in Ireland by helping guarantee access to education, healthcare and food.
Ó Ríordáin said, “under Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, the number of children living in poverty in Ireland has surged by more than 45,000 in just one year. While they celebrate record GDP growth, one in five children cannot afford basic essentials like a winter coat or a new pair of shoes. That is not just failure – it is a scandal borne from political neglect.”
“Now, thanks to the work of the Labour Party and the Socialists and Democrats, Europe is stepping up. Despite strong resistance from the right and far right, who tried to avoid binding commitments and real investment, we secured concrete proposals that confront the structural injustices that trap people in poverty. This includes major European investment to tackle child poverty, action on in-work poverty through decent jobs and fair pay, stronger social protection systems, improved access to quality education, and a call for legislation to prohibit discrimination based on socio-economic background.
“This vote sends a clear signal ahead of Ireland’s EU Presidency that tackling poverty is not charity. It is justice. It is a political choice, and Europe is choosing to act.
Ó Ríordáin said, “poverty is not inevitable. A continent as wealthy as Europe can – and must – break the cycle of lost chances and broken futures. Today’s vote was a major step forward.”