Sir, - I noted with anger the contemptuous dismissal by the Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy, on a recent TV programme, of the UN report on poverty. He justified his attitude by pointing out that the figures on which the findings were based came from 1995.
I would like to draw to his attention to page 3 of The Irish Times for October 3rd; I quote the headlines in order of layout:
"Children as young as eight opt out of school";
"City's homeless crisis worsens"; "15 per cent of boys think life not worth living";
"Report admits hostel drugs use".
I would like to help Mr McCreevy understand the connection between these headlines and the UN report, as on his own he may be having difficulty with it. Poverty is what happens when the wealth of a country begins to benefit fewer and fewer of the people of the country.
Those working in the care services have no difficulty accepting the validity of the UN report and the poignancy of the headlines. - Yours, etc. Joy O`Reilly,
Carrickfad,
Fivemilebourne,
Co Sligo.