Barnardos campaign - Scourge of poverty must be tackled

To suggest that children in this country suffer the repercussions of dire poverty because society does not care, is something which most reasonable people would dismiss out of hand.

Unfortunately, they would be utterly wrong.

The disconcerting conclusion arrived at by Barnardos, the children’s charity, after a two-year Every Child

Matters campaign, shows that not all children in Ireland matter today.

According its chief executive, Owen Keenan, Ireland as a society and this Government has not gone anywhere near what could be achieved to make things better for children and families.

Working with more than 12,000 children and families every year affords this major children’s charity a deep and comprehensive insight into the consequences of families living with dire poverty, disability and ill-health.

Drawing on that experience, their campaign concentrated on three issues: parents under pressure; the effect of alcohol on children and families; and, the devastating impact poverty has on many children in this country.

Although some progress has been made in those areas, including the Family Support Agency, not enough has been made to meet the scale of the problems that exist.

Consequently, children suffer because parents simply cannot cope with everyday demands and while there is a measure of support and services available, they are administered by a plethora of Government agencies and departments.

It is unthinkable that in one of the richest countries in Europe there are still children suffering from the repercussions of dire poverty in their families.

There are supports which have a proven track record in at least moderating those effects, but the Government badly needs to invest more resources in providing them.