Fianna Fáil Press Office
Cllr Catherine Ardagh
Dublin South Central
19 January 2016
The number of children in poverty has trebled since FG/Lab took office– Ardagh
Fianna Fáil candidate for Dublin South Central Cllr Catherine Ardagh says that the Social Justice Forum held in Dublin today and last night’s RTE programme on homeless families both reinforce the reality of the Two Tier recovery in Ireland. She added that the number of children experiencing deprivation has almost trebled since Fine Gael/Labour took office.
“We all know about the disgraceful number of children living in temporary accommodation, but what is not as well known is that the number of children now in consistent poverty has grown to 11.2%. This equates to 1 in 9 children. In 2008 the rate was 6.3%. Furthermore, the number of children experiencing deprivation has almost trebled since Fine Gael/Labour took office. The Deprivation rate is 36.1% up from 13.5% in 2008.”
Cllr Ardagh added “Ireland is now a more unequal country. We have a divided and fractured society following five years of regressive Fine Gael and Labour measures.
“There has been a two tier recovery which is developing into a two tier society. Every Budget introduced by this Government targeted those with the least to give who ended up losing the most. There were other choices, but these were ignored.
“From speaking to people while canvassing I am very much aware of the fact that the Deprivation rate has doubled since 2008 from 13.7% to 29% while the number of people in consistent poverty has risen to 8% from 4.2% in 2008.
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