Govt ‘ignoring’ needs of children

Government is failing children when it comes to mental health and equality, according to the annual report card issued by the Children’s Rights Alliance

The Government is failing children when it comes to mental health and equality, according to the annual report card issued by the Children’s Rights Alliance, which slammed the Government for repeatedly failing to meet its own targets.

The advocacy group, which represents more than 100 organisations working on children’s welfare and rights, awarded the Government a ‘C’ grade for 2014, reflecting “scope for significant improvement”.

The annual report card, which gave the Government the same grade last year, analyses its performance on issues and policies affecting children against its commitments in the Programme for Government 2011-2016.

Commenting on the report, Barnardos Chief Fergus Finlay said certain children were either being “side-lined” or “entirely ignored” by the Government.

“Child poverty remains unacceptably high – 9.3% of children currently live in consistent poverty and 18.8 per cent are at risk. Tackling poverty is a whole-of-Government issue and is something that needs to be prioritised in order to see progress next year,” he said.

Commenting on the ‘F’ grade given in relation to Traveller children, Retired Supreme Court Judge Catherine McGuinness explained that infant mortality rates among the group are 3.6 times greater than those in the general population.

“We are in danger of leaving Traveller children behind unless we include specific commitments in national policy,” she warned.

On another poor grade – relating to migrant children – she noted that more than 10% of Ireland’s school-going children come from a non-Irish background. She called for an immediate end to the current Direct Provision system for asylum seekers.

“The Government has also broken its own promises regarding mental health, with €35 million in ring-fenced funding now standing at only €20 million,” she said.