PRESS STATEMENT

By Senator Jillian van Turnhout, Chief Executive

“Today is UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, and I had the honour of taking part in a special event organised by our member organisation, ATD Fourth World, on Custom House Quay in Dublin.  This is an occasion for people experiencing poverty to express their struggles and efforts and for us all to stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable in society.  

“As the economic crisis compounds people’s experience of poverty, the stories being told today demonstrate people’s courage, friendship and efforts to protect their human rights including the right to work, the right to education and the right to housing.  I am honoured to be here to listen, in solidarity, to the testimonies of these extraordinary people.

"The Children’s Rights Alliance is committed in its work to fight child poverty and is lobbying Government, in time for Budget 2012, to:

•    Be fair: ensure children’s rights are protected in Budget 2012 and consider the impact of all budgetary decisions on children.

•    Be focused: make ending child poverty its goal, in the short and longer‐term measures it introduces.

•    Be flexible: one size does not fit all families. Build flexibility into the social welfare system so that it can support families to cope with their changing financial circumstances.

Poverty is a dead weight that has already dragged far too many Irish families into darkness and despair; wherever men, women and children are condemned to live in poverty, human rights are violated. It is our solemn duty to come together to ensure that these rights are respected.”

Senator Jillian van Turnhout

Chief Executive

Children's Rights Alliance

_Ends_

For more information, please contact:
Carys Thomas, Communications Director
Tel: (01) 6629400
Mob: 087 7702845
Email: carys@childrensrights.ie

Note to Editors:
1.    The full text of the Children’s Rights Alliance’s Pre-Budget Submission is here: http://bit.ly/qZcmgq