The number of children living in consistent poverty is thought to have risen by almost 50 per cent to 130,000 in just one year children’s charity Barnardos has said.
The Central Statistics Office in 2009 recorded 90,000 children living in consistent poverty. The 2010 figures due to be released at the end of the month are predicted by Barnardos to show an increase of almost 50 per cent.
Budget decisions made in recent years have contributed to the rise in child poverty, the charity said. However it said it is not seeking any additional funding to tackle child poverty in the upcoming budget.
Speaking at the publication of the charity’s pre-budget submission today, Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay said he was calling on the Government to “take the Hippocratic oath” between now and budget day.
“What we are asking is that they above all do no harm. If you cannot improve the situation, for God’s sake don’t make it worse.”
In pre-budget submissions the charity usually asked for additional funding to be directed towards children and families, but, Mr Finlay said there was “no point” in seeking more money from Government. However the charity was asking the Government not to implement more cuts.
“The cuts in budget 2011 were the decisive thing in driving more children into consistent poverty. The only thing we ask is not to make things worse in this budget.”
Barnardos is calling on the Government to make no further cuts to child benefit, to leave the adult social welfare rates at current levels, to make the eligibility requirement for Family Income Supplement less strict so that more people can take up work, to make book rental scheme compulsory in all national schools, and to ensure medical card income guidelines are in line with social welfare rates.
