Sinn Féin criticises Coalition over child poverty

SINN FÉIN deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald advised the Government to stop rounding on Fianna Fáil when challenged on its own record on dealing with child poverty.

“Fine words and whingeing about Fianna Fáil will not put bread in the belly of a single child,” she said.

Ms McDonald said more than 100,000 children in the State lived in poverty. “If we are collectively serious about making the best interests of the child a paramount consideration in public policy and the law, we need a strategy to tackle child poverty,” she added.

She urged Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore to ensure the budget was children-proof.

Mr Gilmore said every Government measure and proposal, whether budgetary, financial or legislative, was examined by Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald before being discussed at Cabinet.

“The views and observations of the Minister and her department are taken into account in any decision we make,” he added.

Mr Gilmore said the Government was determined to turn the economy around. “We inherited a situation where our economy was on the floor,” he added.

“We have a job of work to do, in which we are making progress, to turn the economy around and to create employment and the wealth and income to lift people out of poverty.”

Ms McDonald said she was not interested in hearing the “Tánaiste’s lament” about Fianna Fáil. Mr Gilmore said he had not mentioned Fianna Fáil.

Ms McDonald said the Government’s last budget was judged, not only by Sinn Féin but also by organisations such as Barnardos, as having heaped huge hardship on children.

“Stealth taxes and cuts to public services and social welfare all had an impact on child citizens,” she added.

“Of course, we had the debacle of the Deis schools and the attempt to take teachers away from some of the most disadvantaged children in the State.”

Mr Gilmore said Sinn Féin never listened to the answer and always assumed the Government had said certain things.

“There were no cuts in social welfare rates or cuts in payments to children in last year’s budget.” Mr Gilmore said child poverty was an issue the Government was concerned about.

“As any parent knows, the most prudent thing one can do for children and their future is to ensure there is good management of financial affairs, now and in the future,” he added.