Warning over long-term poverty

Poverty will continue to cause misery in society for the next quarter of a century unless the Government radically alters its policies, it was warned today.

The St Vincent de Paul Society said immediate action must be taken by the current Government and any future cabinets to bring an end to the struggles of those living below the breadline.

John-Mark McCafferty, head of social justice and policy with the society, said for the past 160 years the voluntary organisation has worked as a shadow welfare state in Ireland.

“Presently, a number of fundamental deficits continue to sustain poverty in this state. These injustices will continue long into the future – even to 2030 - unless there are radical policy shifts on the part of both present and future Governments,” Mr McCafferty told the Patrick MacGill Summer School in the Glenties in Co Donegal.

The society said there were currently many social problems including poverty levels, rising costs of living and the amount of people leaving school early.

Mr McCafferty, who was addressing the School on the subject ’What Kind of Society in 2030?’, said over 148,000 children under 14-years-old are living in consistent poverty, and experience deprivation of basic items on a regular basis.

“Children are almost twice as likely as adults to be consistently poor, and almost a quarter of a million children are at risk of poverty – they live in households whose income is below 60% of the median household income,” he said.

Mr McCafferty said many households were ‘working poor’, as they are earning low wages yet are exposed to the full costs of healthcare, rent, childcare costs, rising utility bills, waste charges and education.

He said the recent changes in Irish society over the past decade have been unprecedented.

“It is almost impossible therefore, and in certain circumstances dangerous, to be too prescriptive in terms of social change 25 years hence. However, it is vital to look forward, to debate about the future and to plan bearing in mind the mistakes of the past,” he said.

“In 2030, we wish to see an end to poverty, or at least a radical reduction in all its forms and across all age groups and communities of need. We hope that this will happen in the shorter rather than the longer term, but by 2030, substantial enhancements and innovations in social policy need to be well established – but the planning and the budgeting need to happen now.”

Mr McCafferty told the Donegal gathering that hopefully the changes would be achieved through improving income supports for low earning families, increasing access to free services like health and education.

The society warned more supports for lone parents – particularly within training, education and employment – were essential.

Mr McCafferty said more must also be done to help parents with the high costs of childhood care.

“In order to meet even a few of the challenges outlined above, Ireland will have to increase its spend on overall social provision. But ensuring value for money in Public Services will be equally important,” he said.