Sinn Féin spokesperson on Social Protection, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD, has described today’s Barnardos report on food insecurity across families in Ireland as extremely shocking.

Deputy Ó Laoghaire said the report was further proof that the government is ignoring the fact that the cost of raising a child is skyrocketing and is leaving many families at risk of poverty.

Teachta Ó Laoghaire said:

“It is absolutely shocking that so many families in Ireland are going without food. In this day and age, nobody should be in this situation. Almost one quarter of parents (24%) have had to borrow money to feed a child in the last year, up from 16% in October 2022, a significant increase.

“Over one in five families have had to cut back on children’s activities to afford food. This is utterly heartbreaking and is a scandal, food is essential, and no family should have to be going through this hardship.

“In last year’s budget, the Government should have recognised that payments have not kept pace with the increases in costs families are facing.

“The Government did not increase the core social welfare rates adequately and in particular did not raise the qualified child increases.

“The qualified child payment was increased by just €4 per week, far below what the Children’s Rights Alliance and many other organisations have said was the minimum required. Sinn Féin would have increased by €5 for under-12s and by €10 for over-12s.

“The cost of raising a child is skyrocketing but the Government has ignored that and left many families at risk of poverty.

“In addition, there was no increase for the core rate of child benefit. It is still below the 2008 rate, which was cut by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments, and no increase has been made since 2016.

“Families are under savage pressure, and the core rate needed to be increased.

“In relation to the comments by Minister for Finance Michael McGrath that he was surprised that there has not been more of an increase in people seeking help from Community Welfare Officers, people are well aware that Community Welfare Officers can help with one-off individual costs.

“But as he should know, a Community Welfare Officer will not meet recurring costs, which is what we are talking about here. The Barnardos report highlights an ongoing crisis where more than two in five parents say they are having to cut back on their own meals to ensure there is enough food to feed their children.

“This is not a once-off, this is unfortunately happening every week and every month and as the Minister will be aware, a Community Welfare Officer will not approve repeated payments.

“One-off payments are all well and good but people need the government to make a lasting difference for them. Sinn Féin has repeatedly put forward costed and sector-backed proposals to government, which would tackle the cost-of-living crisis, and ease the pressures workers and families are facing.

“The government has failed to deliver the response required to alleviate this cost-of-living crisis despite the ever-growing threat of food and energy poverty and household debt looming for so many.

“We need to see the continued progress of rolling out hot school meals programme within schools and hot schools meals programme needs to be extended to secondary schools and in relation to Additional Needs Payments we need the Department to provide a decision within 48 hours for families who apply for an additional needs payment where family need extra support to provide their children with sufficient food.”