Budget result: Bankers 1, Children 0

PACUB's press release condemns a Budget that targets children and benefits bankers

Children, the one group in Irish society that did not party, did not borrow recklessly, did not spend stupidly are being targeted to bear the brunt of the cuts in this cruel Budget which savagely targets children and their families. PACUB, the support group for families, condemns a Budget that is taking an axe to child benefit, tax credits and other essential supports for families and also increasing taxes and so many charges that they cannot avoid.

“Many parents will try to protect their children by not telling them about this Budget and its effect on them,” says PACUB spokeswoman Niamh Kelly. “The children will not know about the presents they didn't receive, the extra help in school they needed, the healthy food they did not eat, the heating they did not enjoy. They will accept their lives as they live them, but they will be suffering, they will be missing out on opportunities that would enrich their lives and enhance their futures.

“These cuts will mean more children living in poverty, a backward move after all the progress in recent years.  PACUB is also very disappointed that families with children on Social Welfare will not receive a compensatory increase in the qualified child allowance as they did last year.  And what are the plans for 2012? It’s hard to believe that there will be even more cuts.  We’re very afraid child benefit go the same way as the early childcare supplement : cut, cut, gone!

“Children and their families are being hit from every angle, with social welfare cuts, cuts in education and health services, increases in charges and taxes.  They are the sector of society being most unfairly targeted, but they will be left picking up the pieces.

“Saddest of all will be the casualties, the families who have to leave their homes - to be rehoused at more cost to the State, the families that will break up, with all the trauma that causes to children, the suicides, the emigrations. Others will struggle on, but without hope. There is no vision in the Budget of a better and fairer Ireland at the end of the four year programme. Just pain.”