Some 90,000 children now live in consistent poverty, and up to 5,000 babies will be born into such poverty this year, Barnardos, the children's charity, said yesterday. Alison Healy reports.
Consistent poverty is defined as a situation where people have less than 60 per cent of average disposable income and where other indicators of deprivation exist, such as the lack of a substantial meal every day, or a warm winter coat.
Mr Owen Keenan, Barnardos chief executive, said the number of children living in consistent poverty was greater than the capacity of Croke Park.
"And when you think about the capacity of Croke Park, particularly in the week of the All-Ireland final, I think it's important to recognise that this is one crowd that nobody would want to be a part of."
Mr Keenan said babies born into such poverty would be more likely to leave school early, to experience unemployment, ill-health, drug-misuse, teenage pregnancy and prison.
"We see the children who are going to school hungry, or with no socks or underwear," he said.
People living in poverty were often blamed for being the authors of their own misery, he said. "Many parents themselves have had a poor experience of being parented, unhappy memories of education and negative experiences of authority."
He acknowledged that there had been a major reduction in the number of children living in consistent poverty in the past 10 years. It has fallen from 24 per cent of all children to 6.5 per cent.
However, recent Government actions seemed set to send that figure in the wrong direction, he said. "Instead of meeting its commitment to substantially increase child benefit in the Budget for 2003, the Government has dragged it out for a further two years. Instead of further investing in family support services that have been proven to work, the Government is cutting back and current indications are that they will be cut drastically in 2004."
Mr Keenan criticised the Government for using the phrase "the poverty industry" to dismiss findings on poverty. "The Government seems to think that the only people concerned about poverty are middle class academics and activists. The truth is quite different."
People most at risk of consistent poverty are lone parents, the unemployed, and those affected by disability or illness.
Ms Christine Heffernan from the mid-west said she had experienced poverty at first hand and did not want that life for her children.
She has been raising her two sons (aged 2½ and 4 years old) alone since her marriage broke up three years ago. She said she constantly blamed herself for not being able to provide for her children. She became depressed and lost hope for her and her children's future.
The experience of poverty was causing her children to grow up quicker than they should. "My four-year-old son often has to comfort me. He is a great support.
"It upsets me that I can't promise him treats and nice things, especially when he is good."
The family's sole day out this year was a seaside trip, organised by Barnardos.
Since her involvement with Barnardos, Ms Heffernan has enrolled in a degree course and joined a women's group.
"I have experienced poverty first hand. I know what it is like to live without. I don't want this life for my children. I want them to have the same opportunities as everybody else," she said.