Labour will put children’s rights and services at the heart of next government

• Ban no fault evictions to reduce child homelessness.
• Eliminate child poverty with a targeted second rate of child benefit and deliver a publicly provided childcare system.
• Tackle the scandal of waiting lists for disability and mental health services.
• Guarantee an appropriate school place for every child with additional needs, introduce a DEIS+ model and truly free education.
• Safeguard children in care and protect children online.

With five days left in the election campaign, Labour Leader Ivana Bacik vowed to put children’s rights and services at the heart of the next government after years of failure on child poverty, public services, and access to essential healthcare.

Launching the Labour Party’s Charter for Children’s Rights, Ivana Bacik said:

“Labour’s Charter for Children’s Rights is a vital mission for the Labour Party that can be traced through our manifesto proposals, and is central to our vision of transforming Ireland and ensuring every child has a fair start.

“With the support of the public, children will be at the heart of our platform for negotiating the next programme for government so I’m asking voters if they want to see these ten key issues addressed to vote for your local Labour candidate on Friday.

“Ireland is a rich country, but for parents it is a country of waiting lists. The election campaign has confirmed the abysmal record of the last two governments in failing to provide the essential services and supports our children need despite record budget surpluses.

“On every canvas we hear from parents about the lack of school places, delays for treatments and access to assessments and therapies.

“Over 12,000 children are overdue an assessment of need, and a further 110,000 children are waiting for therapies through Children’s Disability Network Teams. Thousands more children are waiting for appointments with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

“Reckless tax cuts won’t address these waiting lists nor will Celtic Tiger-style SSIA saving schemes for parents eliminate child poverty but rather embed income inequality. Over 260,000 children experienced deprivation last year, and nearly 60,000 are living in consistent poverty. €1,500 in a bank account is no help for these families. Labour will introduce a new targeted second rate of child benefit to reduce child poverty. We can afford to invest the €700 million it will cost because Labour is not going to narrow the tax base or engage in unfunded tax cuts.

“A non-negotiable objective for Labour in any government will be the delivery of a publicly provided childcare system with a guaranteed place for every child, reduced costs for parents and professional pay for staff.

“Child homelessness has inexorably risen over the last eight years under Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Independent TDs that have backed them on all key votes. There are solutions that can be taken – with a ban on evictions, and reforms to end no fault evictions, changes in the law to prioritise children for social housing, and an expansion of the tenant in situ scheme which has run out of money. Labour has the ambition to build the 50,000 homes a year Ireland needs to stop child homelessness.

“I am proud to lead a Party that has always prioritised education and our campaigns for a DEIS+ model to support the most disadvantaged schools, and to make education truly free for parents have now been adopted by other parties. What the next government must do now though is deliver those interventions, and the funding needed to increase capitation grants and ban voluntary contributions.

“Labour will prioritise the safeguarding of children in care, by resourcing Tusla with enough residential care places, and expanding alternative care in family settings by introducing new supports for foster carers. We will ensure children are protected online, ensure the new Coimisiún na Meán takes on recommender system algorithms, and support parents and schools.

ENDS

Labour’s Charter to deliver on Children’s Rights will:

• Target payments to end Child Poverty.
• Stop Child Homelessness.
• Tackle the scandal of waiting lists for disability services and therapies.
• Guarantee an early year’s place for every child through a public childcare scheme.
• Introduce a new DEIS Plus model.
• Deliver an Autism Guarantee for special education places.
• Safeguard Children in Care.
• Resource and regulate the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
• Make Education truly free.
• Protect Children Online.

Further information is available here: https://labour.ie/manifesto/childrens-charter/