Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Any opportunity presented to us to examine and plan for the future of our children should not only be welcomed but also grasped with both hands and acted upon. We have seen report after report outlining the challenges facing the younger members of our society but what we do not see is necessary corresponding action to address the concerns being raised. These concerns relate to the right to live free of hunger, to a stable home and to an adequate standard of living that allows for participation and developmental opportunities and creates the positive environment in childhood that leads to a positive lifestyle in adulthood.

While I was reading the Ombudsman for Children's report A Better Normal, one point was very clear to me, namely, the normal that too many children are now living in, particularly after Covid, is far from what we would have experienced as normal as children. It is far from what their peers are experiencing. We are now putting children at a distinct disadvantage at the earliest possible time in their lives. One way to challenge that and work effectively is to engage in cross-departmental action and planning. The Oireachtas committee, mentioned in the report, has a role to play. Cross-departmental action and planning comprise a strategic way in which we can eradicate poverty and family homelessness before they have a lifelong impact.

The report Generation Pandemic states 8,000 babies will have left maternity wards to go into marginalisation, disadvantage and, in many cases, homelessness. That is absolutely shocking. The Children's Rights Alliance publication states, "At worst, governments' responses have laid bare and exacerbated pre-existing long-time structural inequalities and social vulnerabilities." The key phrase is "pre-existing long-time". Clearly, whatever has been put in place before has not worked because otherwise there would not have been weaknesses to exploit during a pandemic.

These sentiments were echoed by Dr. Mike Ryan from the WHO when he spoke about a deeply unfair and deeply inequitable world. We are aware that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child requires those who have signed up to it to recognise the right of every child to a standard of living, yet the Ombudsman for Children has expressed concern over the invisibility of children in housing legislation. In this regard, I draw the attention of the Minister to a book entitled How Will Santa Find Us?, if he has not read it.

These children are not invisible; they are our future. The Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures policy sets out the Government’s target of removing 70,000 children from consistent poverty, which was missed. Earlier this year, the Minister stated that "progression on a policy successor to Better Outcomes, Better Futures has been delayed until 2022", ironically due in part to the pandemic. This is the same pandemic that is pushing more children into poverty and homelessness, onto a path that is less clear and less well lit and into greater insecurity than they have ever faced in this State. This is denying children the opportunity to reach their potential. We have a very clear, sensible and important proposal for the Ombudsman for Children, one which will have a positive impact on the lives of the youngest members of our State. I urge the Minister to take that on board and act on it.

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