Hunger in Modern Ireland - One in Five Children in Ireland Go to Bed or to School Hungry

[C. Flower]

Liveline today discussed hunger in modern Ireland - a caller said that up to a thousand meals were being served by the "Penny Dinners" service in Cork each week - up from about 400 to 1000 in the few years. Self-employed families, and returned emigrants, two groups of people not entitled to benefits, were must vulnerable, in the experience of the caller.

This NUIG survey, launched today, says that 1 in 5 Irish children goes to bed or to school hungry. The figure has increased from 17% in 2006 to 21% in 2010.

http://www.nuigalway.ie/hbsc/documen..._hbsc_2010.pdf

[Mr Aphorisms]

I am not saying these polls are wrong, C Flower. But my ex girlfriend has two kids, her own house, a car, is in college and pays a tiny amount of her bills through her welfare. She is not working at the moment and, like most Irish single mothers, is comfortable on benefits from the state.

I know others on welfare(not by their choice) who are on rent allowance and living in very nice apartments, etc. None of them or their children are going hungry every night. Not now and certainly not when the boom was on in the mid 2000's.

The point is, I find it very hard to believe this, considering most people are not self employed and most do not emigrate with their children, therefore, ineligible for benefits. As for the Galway survey, again, I find it very hard to believe.

[C. Flower]

I am not saying these polls are wrong, C Flower. But my ex girlfriend has two kids, her own house, a car, is in college and pays a tiny amount of her bills through her welfare. She is not working at the moment and, like most Irish single mothers, is comfortable on benefits from the state.

I know others on welfare(not by their choice) who are on rent allowance and living in very nice apartments, etc. None of them or their children are going hungry every night. Not now and certainly not when the boom was on in the mid 2000's.

The point is, I find it very hard to believe this, considering most people are not self employed and most do not emigrate with their children, therefore, ineligible for benefits. As for the Galway survey, again, I find it very hard to believe.

The survey question is fairly soft, so the extent to which children are really deprived can't be judged by it.

What concerns me is the increase from 17% to 21% reporting hunger, 2006-2010. That appears to me to be related to the economic crisis.

Single mothers in Ireland have just had a lot of benefits cut. Has she mentioned this to you ?

[Shaadi]

Food is relatively cheap depending on the quality, it's quite possible that some families are struggling so badly with debt that they literally are finding it hard to put food on the table. 1 in 5 seems to be an exaggeration.

It all greatly depends on peoples individual circumstances. A family on benefits living in rented accommodation, with minimal debts and no need for the expense of a car could be in vastly better financial shape than a family with a Large Mortgage, credit card debt, reduced working hours, a car to keep on the road and a few hundred a year on School bus tickets etc.

Whatever the truth is, things are going to get a hell of a lot worse over the next few years, with the resulting pressures on family life making kids lives even more difficult than they currently are.

[C. Flower]

Food is relatively cheap depending on the quality, it's quite possible that some families are struggling so badly with debt that they literally are finding it hard to put food on the table. 1 in 5 seems to be an exaggeration.

It all greatly depends on peoples individual circumstances. A family on benefits living in rented accommodation, with minimal debts and no need for the expense of a car could be in vastly better financial shape than a family with a Large Mortgage, credit card debt, reduced working hours, a car to keep on the road and a few hundred a year on School bus tickets etc.

Whatever the truth is, things are going to get a hell of a lot worse over the next few years, with the resulting pressures on family life making kids lives even more difficult than they currently are.

These people have incomes. There are groups of people who have no income - self-employed, newly unemployed and returned emigrants. It beats me how they survive at all.

[Shaadi]

These people have incomes. There are groups of people who have no income - self-employed, newly unemployed and returned emigrants. It beats me how they survive at all.

There definitely are people in that situation. I burned through all my savings during a period when I was trying to work and had to take a lot of time off to care for someone who was ill. Anyone in that situation should go to the CW officer and keep at it until they get something. If you have absolutely no income they will give you supplementary welfare allowance to tide you over. I worked with a Romanian guy who hadn't been here long enough to qualify for benefits when he was let go and they gave it to him. Swallow your pride and take help if you can get it would be my advice, every day you put it off you're digging a deeper hole for yourself.

Self-employed people can become unemployed if their business has to close down. It may also be the case, though you continue to be self-employed the amount of work you are getting has reduced so much that it no longer provides you with a sufficient income.

If you find yourself unemployed or you are getting less work you may qualify for a social welfare payment. You do not need to de-register as self-employed to get a social welfare payment.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance provides a basic weekly allowance to eligible people who have little or no income. If your weekly income is below the Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate for your family size, a payment may be made to bring your income up to the appropriate Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate.

You cannot get Supplementary Welfare Allowance if you are working more than 29 hours per week.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en...mployment.html

[fluffybiscuits]

There definitely are people in that situation. I burned through all my savings during a period when I was trying to work and had to take a lot of time off to care for someone who was ill. Anyone in that situation should go to the CW officer and keep at it until they get something. If you have absolutely no income they will give you supplementary welfare allowance to tide you over. I worked with a Romanian guy who hadn't been here long enough to qualify for benefits when he was let go and they gave it to him. Swallow your pride and take help if you can get it would be my advice, every day you put it off you're digging a deeper hole for yourself.





http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en...mployment.html

+1 The community welfare officers are there to provide payments should things become very tough at any stage. Know someone in a similar situation to yourself Saoirse as he is looking after his mother and gets carers allowance but he has a mortgage and is struggling to keep his head above water. Money is tight but he gets by most of the time. It takes a lot for someone to go and admit that money is tight , in a lot of cases people wait till its too late. Can I also add if people are experiencing stress, go to their GP and discuss it...

[Apjp]

I am not saying these polls are wrong, C Flower. But my ex girlfriend has two kids, her own house, a car, is in college and pays a tiny amount of her bills through her welfare. She is not working at the moment and, like most Irish single mothers, is comfortable on benefits from the state.

I know others on welfare(not by their choice) who are on rent allowance and living in very nice apartments, etc. None of them or their children are going hungry every night. Not now and certainly not when the boom was on in the mid 2000's.

The point is, I find it very hard to believe this, considering most people are not self employed and most do not emigrate with their children, therefore, ineligible for benefits. As for the Galway survey, again, I find it very hard to believe.

My da is a single parent earning 8.75 an hour, working 50 hours a week. He can be called up any time of day or night for a shift. He was typical of many people we knew during the 'boom', working poor. He lost his job and was out of work for nearly 4 years.

Just because my sister has emigrated to America, and that I will probably leave for europe next year after graduating does not mean Da(or any other single working/non-working parent) is a millionaire just cos he gets benefits. Considering children's allowance has been more than halved for lone parents with families of more than 2, maybe you should cop the **** on.

[C. Flower]

+1 The community welfare officers are there to provide payments should things become very tough at any stage. Know someone in a similar situation to yourself Saoirse as he is looking after his mother and gets carers allowance but he has a mortgage and is struggling to keep his head above water. Money is tight but he gets by most of the time. It takes a lot for someone to go and admit that money is tight , in a lot of cases people wait till its too late. Can I also add if people are experiencing stress, go to their GP and discuss it...

The problem is that these payments are discretionary and we simply don't know the extent to which people are being left with nothing. Personally, I think the increase in hunger reported by children should be taken seriously.

[Apjp]

Food is relatively cheap depending on the quality, it's quite possible that some families are struggling so badly with debt that they literally are finding it hard to put food on the table. 1 in 5 seems to be an exaggeration.

It all greatly depends on peoples individual circumstances. A family on benefits living in rented accommodation, with minimal debts and no need for the expense of a car could be in vastly better financial shape than a family with a Large Mortgage, credit card debt, reduced working hours, a car to keep on the road and a few hundred a year on School bus tickets etc.

Whatever the truth is, things are going to get a hell of a lot worse over the next few years, with the resulting pressures on family life making kids lives even more difficult than they currently are.

Rented accomodation can be cheap if you know who you're dealing with(I know for a fact a single person could rent a room off some landlords in Drogheda for 25 euro a week) but Council accomodation is getting more expensive. the response of the council in Meath was to hike me Da's rent by 15% in January after he told them he had found work. Great country.

[Apjp]

+1 The community welfare officers are there to provide payments should things become very tough at any stage. Know someone in a similar situation to yourself Saoirse as he is looking after his mother and gets carers allowance but he has a mortgage and is struggling to keep his head above water. Money is tight but he gets by most of the time. It takes a lot for someone to go and admit that money is tight , in a lot of cases people wait till its too late. Can I also add if people are experiencing stress, go to their GP and discuss it...

Good one Fluffy. We all have medical cards and they always get renewed, and on time too. That's why we all go to see our doctor when there's no money for food cos he knows what to do. And we don't pay a cent.

[fluffybiscuits]

The problem is that these payments are discretionary and we simply don't know the extent to which people are being left with nothing. Personally, I think the increase in hunger reported by children should be taken seriously.

Am behind you 100% on this one. The payments are on a case by case basis I should have added that in. I did read suggestions on here that people would be able to buy food on a strict budget but their dietry requirements would not be met (cue some idiot telling me what about supplements!). Focus Ireland ran a huge ad campaign to say that 20% of those homeless are kids or something like that. The Quaker kitchen on Capel St has long queues every evening when they open the soup kitchen.

[fluffybiscuits]

Good one Fluffy. We all have medical cards and they always get renewed, and on time too. That's why we all go to see our doctor when there's no money for food cos he knows what to do. And we don't pay a cent.

Im on your side here mate, as someone who has suffered a few mental health issues Im only advocating we use all resources at our disposal. I was unemployed for a few years so this is me speaking from experience. Hate having debates with anyone on the same side as me ! We are singing from the same hymn sheet. If I had my way the Troikia would go and ******* themselves but as we cant Im quite happy to aid people any way I can....

[Shaadi]

Rented accomodation can be cheap if you know who you're dealing with(I know for a fact a single person could rent a room off some landlords in Drogheda for 25 euro a week) but Council accomodation is getting more expensive. the response of the council in Meath was to hike me Da's rent by 15% in January after he told them he had found work. Great country.

The Councils are money hungry, I know a couple who were offered their house for sale from the council for €140,000 in 2007, now the council are willing to sell it to them for €30,000. New Council houses supposedly being sold for €45,000. It might be worth your dads while to see if they'd sell him the property, the mortgage on it might be cheaper than the rent. The council might even provide the loan.

[C. Flower]

Cork St Vincent de Paul on RTE at the moment saying that there are numerous cases of people who are missing a meal, staying in bed until 12.00, and children going to school hungry.

"The real poverty today is with people who were earning €80-100,000 last year, or were self-employed and are entitled to nothing. These people have choices to make -whether to pay the mortgage or eat."

"When savings are gone, wedding and engagement rings are sold, when the lights go off, and there is no food in the fridge and then they come to us"