Child benefit campaigners are off to a nappy start

IN the last budget Finance Minister Brian Lenihan took yet another swipe at children by reducing, yet again, the early childcare scheme and announcing that it would end this year.

He also announced his intention to means test/tax/reduce the child benefit payment.

This is unacceptable. The Government is targeting the most vulnerable members of society — our children. How can we, as a nation, accept this? How can our elected representatives accept it?

I wish to bring to public attention a protest group comprised of concerned parents, grandparents and citizens who intend to challenge this decision and fight to protect the child benefit payment which so many households rely on to provide for their children.

Every other European country has child support and child benefit has survived every previous recession in Ireland. Why not this one?

PACUB — Protest Against Child Unfriendly Budget — is a voluntary group. We have no political affiliations. We just want to be treated fairly and we want our children’s voices to be heard.

We can be found online at www.childbenefit.info and we are also on Facebook. I would urge all concerned citizens to join and show their opposition. An online petition is available on the website and PACUB is collecting signatures for this.

The offices of the Taoiseach and finance minister have received several hundred protest letters in recent times. This week marked the start of our ‘nappy campaign’ in which PACUB members sent unused nappies to these offices with ‘PACUB — Protest Against Child Unfriendly Budget’ written on them. This was a peaceful protest to show the Taoiseach and finance minister the level of discontent and anger their proposal has generated. We will take to the streets if necessary.

I’m writing in the hope other parents will see they are not alone in worrying how they will provide for their children and that they are not alone either in feeling the Government has abandoned the children of this country.

I hope this will also encourage others to put pen to paper and voice their worries and objections.

The Government is sending a clear message to the people of this country: “Your kids = your problem.”

Our response is: “Our children = this country’s future.”

Gemma Coffey

Balgaddy

Lucan

Co Dublin