Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh na finnéithe. I thank the witnesses. As a previous speaker said, the opening statement was incredibly comprehensive. We have had many discussions on child poverty but, to be honest, I do not think anyone has got anyway serious enough about addressing it. We often talk about whole-of-government interventions and intergenerational poverty. However, we have a set of rules - and there is a lack of supports - that do not take into account what we get in big urban settings, namely prison, addiction and the chaos that goes with all of that. There are families on which it is a hell of a lot more impactful than it is perhaps half mile from where they live. Even within an estate, it is sometimes two or three streets. Reference was made to the Vienna model. Could the witnesses go into that a bit more? I assume some of it relates to demographics, peer groups and related issues.

If we could choose from all the asks before us, in an ideal world, I would like to see that bit relating to early family supports. They would happen straight away and they would need to be a lot more comprehensive than is the case at present. There are cases where it is not perfect to keep a family unit together, as that is not helpful to anybody. I know that begs other questions, for example, about what supports can be provided when we do not have enough foster carers. We could talk about early childhood learning but I will start with that.