Labour proposes a dedicated departmental team for child poverty
“Our children deserve better. They deserve access to a public childcare place to learn and to grow, they deserve a warm home with food on the table, and they deserve equality of opportunity when it comes to education.”
That heartfelt plea was expressed by Labour Councillor Michelle Hall on behalf of Labour’s elected representatives in Drogheda who have expressed deep concern following the release of the State of the Nation’s Children Report which found that, in 2022, 15.2% of children are now at risk of poverty, up from 13.6% the previous year.
Moreover, the number of children experiencing consistent poverty has risen from 5.2% to 7.5% during the same period.
“These distressing figures demand immediate attention and robust action especially in Co. Louth where social deprivation is below the national average” said Cllr Hall.
“It’s clear from this report that far too many children continue to be failed by this conservative coalition. Some estates in Drogheda are extremely disadvantaged and overall more than 11,000 people in Drogheda, Clogherhead and Termonfeckin are disadvantaged, based on educational attainment, employment status and the numbers living in individual households.
“County Louth also has the second highest number of children living in a single parent household (19.4%), with Dublin City the highest (21.2%).
“Our children deserve better. They deserve access to a public childcare place to learn and to grow, they deserve a warm home with food on the table, and they deserve equality of opportunity when it comes to education.
“We are one of the wealthiest countries in the world, having one child living in poverty should be a national scandal. In Labour’s alternative budget proposal, we proposed funding a dedicated departmental team focused solely on the goal of eliminating child poverty. A key task would be producing a roadmap for how this would be introduced.
“We in Labour, Cllrs Smith, Cutlip, Deputy Nash and I, are urgently calling on Government to acknowledge and address this escalating child poverty crisis. “We demand swift action to implement comprehensive solutions, including the establishment of a dedicated department focused on eradicating child poverty. “We implore the Government to prioritise the well-being of our nation’s children, ensuring they have access to education, shelter, and equal opportunities. The time for change is now.”
