Issue of child poverty must be addressed

As the issue of child poverty took centre stage at Stormont today the Ulster Unionist Party voiced their concerns surrounding the issue.

Commenting during the debate within the Chamber on child poverty targets and recognising its associated extensive problems, Ulster Unionist Party Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy said: "It is unfortunate that since the former Prime Minister Tony Blair announced the target in 1999 of eradicating child poverty by 2020, the Labour Government have failed to reach the targets that were part of the long term goal. It is my sincere belief that Labour's welfare policies have had a very detrimental effect on the aim of eradicating child poverty, given the way in which those policies undermine the incentive to work."

He pointed out the words of Labour MP and welfare expert Frank Field who said "Government policy has missed its 2004-05 target of a reduction of a quarter in child poverty and fallen further behind - it has seen no change in the numbers of children in severe poverty; and leaves one in five of poor children in persistently poor households".

Put bluntly, "Labour has failed those children in poverty, he said."

Looking specifically at the issue of rural poverty his colleague from Fermanagh and South Tyrone Tom Elliott MLA said: "I come from a rural area, which for generations has seen many families work the land to support themselves - Unfortunately, the plight facing many rural homes in light of increasing food and oil shortages is very real."

He explained that figures released to his colleague Fred Cobain, based on the accepted definition of Child Poverty as; 'a child living in home with an income that is 60% or less of the median income', revealed that for the years 2003 - 2006 combined the number of children living in poverty in his constituency was 8,900.

"I know that this is not among the larger figures for Northern Ireland, but given the ever increasing number of pressures facing the rural community due to global economic conditions, this number will undoubtedly rise in the coming years. That is the future facing children in rural homes given the increasing amount of costs that families have to meet, he said."

He echoed the view by his party that Government commitment concerning Child Poverty is of the utmost importance; "The Westminster Government, supported by the devolved administrations, must ensure that support for rural families is accessible and attainable. Rural communities are built on the values of self-reliance and hard work, and have been so for generations. As such, cutting child poverty in rural areas has the potential to become a reality within the outlined time frames, but only if Government is committed to working with these values, strengthening families and communities, he added."