Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Press release Stop the attack on child benefit



October 8 2013 _ PACUB - Protest against cuts to child benefit - is appealing to the government to protect child benefit ahead of the upcoming budget.  Over the last 4 budgets child benefit has been cut with larger families taking the biggest hit.

Our message to the government is
‘’Stop attacking children’’
Our children are worth it.
Child Benefit is not wasted money, it is an investment in our future. In Ireland’s future.

PACUB Spokesperson Niamh UiCheallaigh:  "We would urge the government to remember its duty to protect our most vulnerable, our children. So far cuts to child benefit have had a detrimental effect on families.  To put it simply, families are suffering, and many are going hungry.  They have nothing more to give, parents are struggling to put food on the table, after 4 savage budgets. Many are struggling to exist, never mind live. Our children should not have to live like this.  We believe that families have been, and still are being disproportionately targeted by the recent cutbacks.

"We are acutely aware there is a recession; we have taken hits on the tax front, higher levies, most of us have faced pay cuts – some of us have lost our jobs. We saw the complete withdrawal of the Early Childcare Supplement and cuts in child benefit during the past 4 budgets, all these combine to make it impossible to cope with any further reductions or changes to child benefit."

PACUB spokeperson, Jane Mooney: "We have seen many reports over the last few months, we know many children are going to school hungry. Many parents are going to be faced with the reality of choosing to heat the house, or put food on the table. With the high cost of living and cuts that have already taken place, we have seen reports where many parents are choosing cheaper unhealthy foods, not by choice, but because of necessity. We all know the consequences to unhealthy eating and can see this costing the government more in the long term with major health problems in the next few years. This is a reality across all of Ireland for parents, we would urge TDs to come out and speak to families in their local constituencies, see what it is really like outside the walls of Leinster House before voting any cuts to child benefit.  We would also urge parents to speak to their local TD and tell them how it really is."

PACUB spokesperson Hazel Haden says: "We have seen bigger families taking the brunt of cuts in recent budgets and fear it will be the same again this year. We know we have an ageing population and we need children to pay for the pensions of tomorrow, our government will put people off having children as it's too expensive to rear a family, and there are no tax incentives unlike in some other European countries.  We urge the government to maintain child benefit as it is, do not penalise families anymore."

END
Contact:
If you would like to get involved in the PACUB campaign visit Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pacub-Protest-Against-Cuts-to-Child-Benefit/191987877489406?fref=ts or the PACUB blog http://pacub.blogspot.com/

We are also on twitter https://twitter.com/PACUB1

Contact  email via protest4childbenefit@gmail.com

No more cuts to child benefit picture

9/10/2013 

Today we are asking every one to share this picture on facebook and twitter and to use it as your profile picture on till budget day in support of no more cuts to child benefit. please support and share far and wide