State’s child welfare record criticised

ONE of the country’s largest teaching unions and the opposition have backed criticism of the Government’s record on child welfare.

The Children’s Rights Alliance yesterday published its first Report Card on the Government’s performance in four key areas — health, education, material wellbeing and safeguarding childhood — where it received a D grade overall.

In response, the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland claimed cutbacks announced last year will have a devastating impact on young people. Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on health and children, Frances Fitzgerald, said the report was a “damning verdict”.