Nearly 40% of children are at risk of poverty
The latest statistics come as the European Commission warns that cutting spending in the name of competitiveness actually jeopardises future competitiveness and longer-term prosperity.
Ireland ranks fifth in the EU for the proportion of its children under the age of 18 who are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
This is higher than in the other bailed out countries of Greece, Portugal, Spain, and also the troubled states of Cyprus and Italy.
Ireland has the highest number of young people living in homes where nobody is employed and with an income of less than 60% of the median, taking into account the number of people in the family.
Those at risk of being isolated in society live in homes where their parents cannot afford to pay rent, mortgage, or utility bills on time, and some cannot afford heating. They may not have enough money to pay unexpected expenses, cannot afford to eat meat, fish, or a protein every second day, could not afford a week away from home once a year, and/or their homes may be lacking appliances taken as normal by others, such as a washing machine.
The Eurostat figures regarding Ireland relate to 2010 and show that 38% of those under the age of 18 were at risk. This may have increased since then due to the ongoing financial crisis.
The figures for the other EU countries are for a year later, 2011, and show that Sweden, Finland, and Denmark have less than half Ireland’s figure for at-risk children, at around 16%.
Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner László Andor told a conference in London that social welfare spending was a prime target for cuts among governments trying to cut their budgets.
“Social investments today are essential as they help prevent countries having to pay much higher financial and social bills tomorrow. We must avoid short-sighted policies — policies that axe spending in the name of competitiveness jeopardise longer-term prosperity,” he said.
“We must work to ensure that employment and social cohesion are given substance in EU policy — on a par with financial consolidation and economic growth. The recovery must bring jobs and opportunities for people, not just profits for companies and banks.”
