Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses. It is worrying. Will the witnesses from Pobal tell me more about the geographic identification of disadvantage? How are the data collected? Are they based on service users? How do we know what is hidden? It is important we realise that. We spoke about generational inequality. There are family barriers, some of which can be historical. Does Ms McKenna find that families get disheartened because they are asking for help and it is very hard to get that support, when one is knocking on door after door. Does she see that as a big issue?

Previous speakers spoke about the child poverty action plan. What is the best way to start that? We all know about housing and families who are moving from family to family, couch surfing or sharing a room, a hostel or B&B. We then have to work through our local authorities and make sure proper payments are made, which becomes an issue when one is moving around. With regard to a child poverty action plan with all the groups together and getting everyone together, how do the witnesses see we could start to make that change? We need to make change.

I spoke today about my area where I know of families that have taken children out of school, good schools, and put them into other good schools, because there is no hot meal programmes and they want their children in schools there are such programmes. Christmas is coming and we see that it is such an important time for children and there are families that look for food parcels or hope to get a parcel. We need to work more with families and children that need that support. I see these issues in my area.

I again thank everyone. We all have to work together and make sure we make that change.