Categories for assessing whether a person is living in deprivation includes having lived without heating at some stage in the last year, being unable to afford two pairs of strong shoes or a warm waterproof coat and being unable to replace worn-out furniture in the home.
Barnados,Ireland's largest independent children's charity, have voiced their concerns over figures which state that one in eight Irish children live in deprivation, with CEO Fergus Finlay saying: "This should break our hearts and force us to take decisive action. And even if you don't care about what it means for children, think about what it means for the future of Ireland."
The report which shows a consistent drop in Irish household's disposable income has led Director of Advocacy at Focus Ireland, Mike Allan, to highlight the worrying fact that for many families the problem isn't going away, saying: "The harsh fact is they have not seen any green shoots of recovery- things are actually getting worse for them."
Concerned for the future of Irish children, Fergus Finlay said the state needs to reassess their approach to child benefit, lone parent support and Child and Family Agency funding.
With Barnados having said that one in eight Irish children are "failing to get the start in life they are entitled to", Fergus Finlay admits: "We know enough about this by now to realise that if we don't break this vicious cycle, its effects will last for generations."
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