Billions needed to fight child poverty - coalition

More than €2bn should be earmarked in the next budget to fight the crisis of child poverty, it was claimed today.

The End Child Poverty Coalition (ECPC) called for increased funding in child benefits, social housing, medical cards and healthcare to end the deprivation suffered by thousands of youngsters.

The independent campaign group said allocating more money would be an investment to prove the Government’s commitment to wiping out child poverty by 2007.

Figures from the Economic and Social Research Institute have shown almost a quarter of a million children in Ireland live in relative poverty.

At least 237,000 kids live below the poverty line, and 66,000 live in constant poverty, it was claimed. And around 1,100 kids in Dublin are thought to be homeless.

Liz Kerrins, ECPC policy officer, said modest spending could cut the staggering numbers of kids suffering

“It is modest spending and modest policy measures,” Ms Kerrins said. “We are not asking for the world, we are just asking for commitments to be honoured.

The Government committed to slash child poverty and reducing numbers hurt by income poverty and deprivation to below 2% by 2007.

“At the moment we haven’t seen any progress on that,” Ms Kerrins claimed.

“We are seeing a situation were eligibility levels for medical cards are increasing, we want a return to 2001 standards.”

Dublin Lord Mayor Michael Conaghan said it was important for the Government to set targets and to work towards them.

“There are modest adjustments in child benefits, medical cards and counselling, all these quite small things can obliterate this poverty,” he said.

The group, made up of seven national non-governmental bodies, outlined five key areas Finance Minister Brian Cowen should focus on to help the less well-off.

:: €1,800m to provide 10,000 social housing units.

:: €346m to fund increases to child benefits and child dependant allowances.

:: Resources of around €20m euro to fund the National Educational Welfare Board.

:: €12.5m to improve education standards for the most disadvantaged children.

:: Return medical card levels back to 2001 standards.

Ms Kerrins said the millions needed was a small, focused investment.

“It’s about honouring commitments,” she said. “That requires money but it’s also good investment, any investment in children is good investment they are our future workforce.

“It’s good social investment.”

The coalition combines charities Barnardo’s, St Vincent de Paul, Focus Ireland, Pavee Point, National Youth Council, Children’s Rights Alliance and One Parent Exchange Network.s