Child poverty must be a priority for Government - Ó Ríordáin

Labour Party T.D., for Dublin North Central Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has stated that confronting child poverty must be a top priority for Government. Deputy Ó Ríordáin was speaking after a briefing by the children's charity Barnardos revealed alarmingly high figures of children in the State are at risk of poverty.

"Figures supplied to TDs and Senators today at the launch of Barnardos Children's Budget 2012 revealed that approximately 90,000 children in this country are at risk of poverty. This is completely unacceptable and I would call on the Cabinet to make this a top priority on their agenda.

"It is absolutely crucial, in these difficult times, that we ensure that the most vulnerable in this society are cared for. Unfortunately, young children are a group that are particularly at risk of poverty in recessionary times. It is my belief though; that providing supports for children does more than just lift them out of poverty, but it also empowers children and provides them with a better future.

"Therefore, I would like to see a more focused and multifaceted approach to tackling child poverty. I would echo the sentiments from Barnardos in relation to the new Child and Family Support Agency in this regard; however this new agency must be seen to deliver if we are serious about confronting this issue as a society."