Govt urged to do more to tackle child poverty

11/10/2005 - 11:24:44
Children's charity Barnardos has launched a campaign to pressure the Government into doing more to tackle child poverty.

The charity is calling on members of the public to sign a petition urging the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats coalition to take seven particular steps to address the issue.

These steps include raising incomes for poor families, improving early childhood education, ensuring every child has access to healthcare and ensuring pay levels are enough to keep families out of poverty.

Barnardos said one in every seven Irish children was currently living in poverty, despite government promises to eradicate the problem by 2007.