The councillor for Galway City’s central ward said tackling child poverty and child homelessness must be the top priority for Government this winter, as he is inundated with requests to assist local families facing homelessness, not a €630m VAT cut for businesses.
“ESRI research last week showed that one in five children are living below the poverty line once housing costs are taken into account. Behind these statistics is real hunger, real despair and real fear of eviction,” he said. “Here in Galway, I hear from families every day who are at breaking point, worried about keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table. We need urgent action, not more delays.”
The Labour Party councillor urged people across Galway to write to Government-supporting independent TDs, alongside Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael deputies, to support a motion being introduced by his party this week to prioritise children’s needs over an untargeted VAT cut for the hospitality industry.
If passed, the motion calls on Government to urgently legislate for a ban on the eviction of children into homelessness before this winter.
“The Labour Party motion calls for something very simple: a ban on evictions when children are involved. No child should be made homeless. That’s a statement I believe everyone in Galway and across the country can agree with. We can do this with a straightforward measure that will keep children and families protected this winter, giving every child a fair start and offering young people a better future. It’s not about ideology; it’s about basic decency.
“The Government is choosing to spend over €630 million a year on a VAT cut that will mostly benefit high-turnover businesses. It won’t be passed on to customers, it won’t improve pay and conditions for workers, and it won’t fix the underlying issues in the hospitality sector.
“At the same time, more than 5,000 children are homeless, over 300,000 households are in arrears on electricity bills, and nearly 175,000 are in gas arrears. Families in Galway cannot wait while this Government prioritises tax cuts for big business over the urgent needs of children living in poverty.
“This is about political choices – and the choice should always be to protect children. No child in Galway or anywhere else should face eviction into homelessness. It is time for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to step up, to make the right decision, and to finally put children first.”
Funded by the CnM Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
