Government must act on recommendations

On May 18 the European Commission published its 2016 recommendations for the Irish Government.

These are priority areas, including reducing child poverty, broadening the tax base, alleviating household debt, increasing cost-effectiveness of healthcare, and improving availability of quality, affordable childcare that the commission urges the Government to particularly focus on.

Barnardos works with thousands of children and families across the country and the recovery has not been felt in their daily lives.

Many are suffering from the dearth of quality public services; languishing on waiting lists due to the two-tier health system, being unable to take up jobs due to the high costs of childcare, or living in inappropriate, overcrowded accommodation.

While the economic gains and reduction in unemployment are welcome, investment in human capital and social policies are just as important but are treated as secondary concerns.

They are essential to tackling structural and societal inequality and creating a more balanced and sustainable recovery that will be felt in all homes across the country.

Children can’t choose the circumstances they are born into but the Government must ensure that all are given the same opportunities to thrive. The Government must act upon these EU recommendations as failure to do so is effectively allowing more children to grow up in lives characterised by poverty and disadvantage.

June Tinsley

Head of Advocacy

Barnardos

Christchurch Square

Dublin 8