Ms Danielle McKenna:

One of the three things that are important for us includes the immediate reinstatement of the funding that was cut from community-based projects during the austerity years, over a decade really. We need that reinvestment in community-based projects. Honest accountability is also important for us. We talk a lot about the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures policy, which finished in 2020. What did that achieve? Is there accountability? Who is being held accountable? Is the State ready for an honest conversation about what is happening to children in poverty, particularly those in working class communities experiencing marginalisation? Is the State ready to talk about the perpetuation of inequality and neoliberalism in that context, as Senator Ruane mentioned? That is what we need to do first. It is not about the resources, but about the conversations that must happen.

Policy implementation is another important issue for us. We brought about the EU child guarantee, which refers a great deal to free access for children, particularly for those most at risk, to services in areas such as healthcare, childcare, education, nutrition and well-being. What does policy implementation and ongoing review look like in that context?