Pavee Point welcomes the Taoiseach’s commitment to resourcing targeted actions to end child poverty in the upcoming budget at the Child Poverty and Wellbeing Summit this week.
Fantastic input from Dr Michael Ryan, WHO, on the urgent need to invest in frontline workers and NGOs, as people are the real infrastructure needed, ensuring that we don’t leave a single child behind.
Important contribution from INVOLVE Youth on the issues facing Traveller young people. Youth Worker, Thomas Joyce, spoke passionately about his experience of working in solidarity with migrants and refugees and recognising their shared experiences of racism and discrimination.
“We know Traveller and Roma children are greatly impacted by poverty, as well as racism, impacting their health, wellbeing and education outcomes.
“We shouldn’t see children without basics – a safe place to live and decent food on the table. Unfortunately this is a reality for many children in Ireland today including Travellers and Roma, ” said Maria McDonnell, Pavee Mothers, Traveller maternal health project at Pavee Point.
Lack of Data on Traveller & Roma Children
Child poverty in Ireland is an issue that has been consistently raised by Traveller organisations and a number of UN Committees have also highlighted this in recent times.
Unfortunately, Traveller and Roma children are often not visible in national research/data collection on poverty and its impacts. This is necessary to measure the extent of the problem and to ensure that Traveller and Roma children are included in child poverty policies and responses, with targeted actions and resources.
Many Roma children face extreme poverty as their families do not qualify for any social welfare payments due to the Habitual Residence Condition, this includes child benefit, which should be universal for all children.
Our Key Asks
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Include specific child poverty actionsin National Traveller & Roma Inclusion Strategy
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Include Traveller and Roma children in mainstream social inclusion and poverty reduction data collection, research and interventions
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Make Child Benefit payments a truly universal paymentavailable to all children in the State, that is not contingent on the fulfilment of the Habitual Residence Condition
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Address Traveller and Roma child homelessness. Provide more Traveller specific accommodation and reconsider proposed changes to housing legislation that could potentially further restrict Roma access to homeless and housing support
Taoiseach Micheál Martin hosted the Child Poverty and Well-being Summit in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin 4. This event is an initiative of the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office in the Department of the Taoiseach.
Main Photo – (LtoR) Jenny Liston, Policy Manager, Pavee Point; Dr. Mike Ryan, Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organisation and Pa Reilly, Mental Health Co Ordinator, Pavee Point.
