Impoverished single parents are left behind ‘yet again’

THE Government has ‘yet again’ left behind impoverished single parents and their children in the budget, according to oneparent advocate Karen Kiernan.

‘While some measures in Budget 2024 are welcome, children in the poorest of one-parent homes have been left behind again, unfortunately,’ she said.

‘One-off cost measures will benefit these families, but they don’t help them in the long-term.

‘Instead of a lifeline this is more of a giveaway Budget, as opposed to focusing on children who need it most.’

Ms Kiernan said she would have preferred to see ‘more single-targeting measures being introduced instead of giving out payments, such as child benefits or energy credits, to everybody’.

Ms Kiernan, pictured right, and who is the CEO of One Family Ireland, welcomed the expansion of the free book scheme for junior cycle students – but also called for it to be extended to senior cycle students.

Children’s Rights Alliance chief executive Tanya Ward said ambitious investment is needed in the early years of a child’s life to help break the cycle of poverty.

‘Ireland has one of the highest childcare costs in Europe.

‘Securing a further 25% cut in Budget 2024 will go a huge way to alleviating the pressure on families,’ she added. ‘However, childcare is only one part of the picture. The evidence tells us that by the time a child turns three, many outcomes have already been determined so investment in the first few years is critical.

She continued: ‘Early years is the single biggest leveller but we know access to early childhood education and care is far from equal.

‘For the most disadvantaged children, there are more barriers to accessing the services and support they need, when and where they need it. To reach these children early in their life, we need a shift of focus to bring the services to them.’

Meanwhile, Budget 2024 has allocated an initial €4.5m to get the Department of Children’s new Equal Participation Model up and running.

This will see a DEIS-style approach to early childhood education and care that focuses on children most impacted by poverty, including Traveller and Roma children.

However, Ms Ward argued that once-off payments will only ever have a fleeting impact on the children and families who are already struggling.

‘With the current cost of raising a child in Ireland, today’s announcement of an increase of €4 a week does not go far enough to break the cycle of poverty,’ she said.