Kilrush link to children’s rights report card

The Children’s Rights Alliance Report Card, which was released this week, has found that the government has slipped to D- in its commitment to children in the areas of education, health, material wellbeing and safeguarding childhood.

The report card, which is verified by an external assessment panel, represented by Justice Catherine McGuinness and ICTU’s Sally Anne Kinahan, referred to Kilrush woman Adrienne Simmons housing situation, highlighted in The Clare Champion on October 23, 2009, in the accommodation element of its report. The Clare Champion highlighted the state of disrepair of the house in which Ms Simmons’ and her three children were living in the John Paul Estate.
The housing segment of the report card dealt with how poor housing can impact upon children.
“New houses are not being provided at a sufficient pace. Little creativity has been demonstrated in the current recession. Meeting the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) target of providing an additional 73,000 new social housing units by 2012 involves delivering 9,100 net social housing units per year,” the report said in relation to the national housing situation.
“By the end of 2008 the Government was 7,431 units behind; a year later, at the end of 2009, it is estimated to be 15,000 units short of its social housing target, as outlined in Towards 2016. In the absence of sufficient social housing units, many families on the housing waiting list are forced to rent in the private market, and rely on the Rent Supplement payment to help cover the cost. For many households, Rent Supplement is the safety net that keeps them from becoming, or returning to, homelessness,” the report added.
The Children’s Rights Alliance is a coalition of over 90 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working to secure the rights and needs of children in Ireland, by campaigning for the full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It aims to improve the lives of all children under 18, through securing the necessary changes in Ireland’s laws, policies and services.
The full report can be read on www.childrensrights.ie.