Manifesto Watch Fianna Fail, Measures for Childern.

Fianna Fail’s Measures for Childern

We will work to end Child Poverty, with, at a minimum, a reduction of the rate to below 2% within five years.

The relative poverty child rate in Ireland is 15.7% according to UNICEF. But I don’t particular like relative measurements.(until some one can say to me why 60% of median income is poor and 61% not I will not like it) but the absolute measure is about 9%. Which means that Fianna Fail have failed utterly.

We will complete our programme of multi-annual increases in Child Benefit and ensure that there is no going back to the days when it received only minor and occasional increases.

It was increased by €10 this time so more or less being done.

We will fully implement the Children’s Strategy.

It is a ten year plan, so whether it has worked yet is unclear.

We will establish the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman in accordance with our recent legislation on this topic and have the office fully operational during 2002.

Done

We will publish independent evaluations of all child welfare services.

There seems to have been some evaluation done but whether all has been done I am not sure.

We will ensure that the National Longitudinal Study of Children is fully established and that the information generated will be widely disseminated.

Done

We will strengthen the parental leave scheme in line with the recommendations of the social partners.

But the question is it enough. I think most people would say no.

So basically they have done the reports but children are still in poverty. Emm I think I will give them a 3. Marks gained for increasing child benefit, and attempting parental leave, and publishing reports. I always have been a easy marker. Probably only deserves 1.