Child poverty
In the Seanad, David Cullinane (SF, labour) asked for a debate on child poverty in the new year (Seanad Eireann, Debates, 1st December 2011, 1069). Between 2001 and 2010, the number of people experiencing enforced inequality doubled from 11% to 22%, he said. This figure included people going without two basic essentials each day, including a hot meal. The proportion of children deprived of basic essentials had risen from 23.5% in 2009 to 30.2% in 2010. The number out of work had risen to 448,600. Many families could no longer pay their mortgages or bills.
