Ms Laura Harmon:

I refer to a point made by Deputy Derek Keating on the Growing Up in Ireland study and the correlation between findings of the early childhood development survey and the issue of behavioural problems. If a child is not given a chance in the early years, this will have a direct impact on his or her educational attainment in later life. In 2010, 19.5% of children and one in ten people in Ireland were at risk of food poverty. As mentioned, 16.4% of lone parents are also at risk of poverty. In 2010 the gap between the highest and the lowest earners increased by 25%. These are very stark statistics.