Just yesterday it was revealed that the number of homeless families in the Republic of Ireland has spiked, so the following finding from a leading children’s charity may not come as such a shock.
According to a recent study carried out by UNICEF, a whopping one-third of children living in the Republic are deemed to be ‘deprived’.
The definition of ‘deprivation’ set out by the European Union is qualified when you cannot afford at least three items from a list of ‘essentials’ including:
- Housing
- Heating
- Utility bills
- A protein meal every second day
- The ability to face unexpected expenses
- A holiday
- A phone
- A TV
- A washing machine
- A car
Essentially, the study found that children are now the most neglected group in our society, which is a very serious reflection of life in Ireland for some of our most vulnerable people.
UNICEF has, accordingly, called for an appropriate response from the Government outlining how they intend to turn these alarming statistics around.
What are your thoughts on the latest findings? Are you surprised?
