Government needs to change attitude on child poverty, says O’Reilly

Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly has said that the government’s attitude on child poverty is “leaving thousands behind.”

The Sinn Féin spokesperson on Social Protection was speaking after new data from the ESRI’ Growing up In Ireland Report highlighted the need to tackle child poverty.  

The ESRI reported that children’s test scores decline with each period in poverty.  

O’Reilly said the findings reiterate what Sinn Féin and the opposition believe – that poverty is not being treated seriously by the government.

“There is an urgency in tackling the child poverty rate; one in five children live in consistent poverty in this state, one in four live in enforced deprivation.”

She commented, “this is a generation of kids that will bear the scars of this forever. It will affect their mental and physical health, their educational outcomes, their careers and even their life expectancy. 

The ESRI previously said Budget 2027 will not reduce child poverty, which O’Reilly said was a “calculated choice by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.”

“They had the best economists in the country at their disposal, advising them exactly how they could reduce child poverty, whether by a little or a lot. They chose not to reduce it at all. Let us remember that,” O’Reilly said.

The Sinn Féin TD rebutted claims by Minister for Children Norma Foley, who stated that the report shows the importance of tackling child poverty given the impact that it has on children’s education and life opportunities. 

Minister Foley said that the state is already committed to tackling poverty through a free children’s book scheme, a measure which O’Reilly called “wholly inadequate.”

O’Reilly said, “we are all aware that the tried and tested best way to reduce poverty is cash transfers to those who need it. An extra book – though welcome, I am sure – will not feed these kids, it will not ease the atmosphere of stress that they are growing up in, it will not keep them warm, it will not make home a safe and comfortable place to return to.”

The Dublin Fingal West TD said, “Sinn Féin wants child poverty treated with the urgency that it deserves. We proposed a targeted child benefit for the poorest kids, energy credits, increases to essential welfare payments and a €500 grocery voucher for the poorest households.”

“We wanted to see the state look after workers, people with disabilities, lone parents, renters and everyone else who we know is vulnerable to poverty,” she said of the recent Budget.

“Sinn Féin did our homework, acknowledged reality and developed a plan to deal with it. This government cannot get away with ignoring the cost of living crisis any longer. The cost of their inaction will always be borne elsewhere in the system, and as this report shows, will ultimately be borne by kids,” O’Reilly warned.