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21/01/2004
Child poverty inquiry visits Northern Ireland
As part of an ongoing inquiry into the Government’s strategy to eradicate child poverty in the UK, members of the House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee today met with residents from both the Falls and Shankill Roads.
They also visited Queen’s University to take evidence from experts from the School of Sociology and Social Policy. The committee members, led by Liberal Democrat MP Archie Kirkwood, spoke with Mike Tomlinson, Professor Eithne McLaughlin and Professor Paddy Hillyard of the University of Ulster, authors of last October’s ‘Bare Necessities: Poverty and Social Exclusion in Northern Ireland’.
The report, published by the influential left-of-centre think-tank Democratic Dialogue, provided the first ‘scientific’ measurement of levels of poverty in Northern Ireland and attracted widespread interest, both nationally and internationally.
Discussing the report, Tomlinson said: “One of the report’s key findings highlighted the extent of child poverty throughout Northern Ireland.
“More than one-third of Northern Ireland’s children are growing up in poor households - 37.4%. Poor households were found to be those with incomes around half the average and lacking three or more identified necessities.”
In the report the authors concluded: “Northern Ireland is one of the most unequal societies in the developed world”. They also called upon the region’s politicians and policy-makers to address these important findings, saying the reduction of poverty and inequality is “ultimately a matter of political will.”
Commenting on the Committee’s visit, Tomlinson added: “Today’s investigation is part of an important UK-wide study. Our report established that poverty in Northern Ireland is worse than in either the Republic of Ireland or Great Britain. We welcomed the opportunity of drawing to the Committee’s attention the findings from our report and had a fruitful discussion of the best methods for measuring and monitoring children's poverty.”
The Committee’s inquiry began in Summer 2003.
(GB)
Pictured: Professor Paddy Hillyard, Archie Kirkwood, Professor Eithne McLaughlin and Mike Tomlinson.
They also visited Queen’s University to take evidence from experts from the School of Sociology and Social Policy. The committee members, led by Liberal Democrat MP Archie Kirkwood, spoke with Mike Tomlinson, Professor Eithne McLaughlin and Professor Paddy Hillyard of the University of Ulster, authors of last October’s ‘Bare Necessities: Poverty and Social Exclusion in Northern Ireland’.
The report, published by the influential left-of-centre think-tank Democratic Dialogue, provided the first ‘scientific’ measurement of levels of poverty in Northern Ireland and attracted widespread interest, both nationally and internationally.
Discussing the report, Tomlinson said: “One of the report’s key findings highlighted the extent of child poverty throughout Northern Ireland.
“More than one-third of Northern Ireland’s children are growing up in poor households - 37.4%. Poor households were found to be those with incomes around half the average and lacking three or more identified necessities.”
In the report the authors concluded: “Northern Ireland is one of the most unequal societies in the developed world”. They also called upon the region’s politicians and policy-makers to address these important findings, saying the reduction of poverty and inequality is “ultimately a matter of political will.”
Commenting on the Committee’s visit, Tomlinson added: “Today’s investigation is part of an important UK-wide study. Our report established that poverty in Northern Ireland is worse than in either the Republic of Ireland or Great Britain. We welcomed the opportunity of drawing to the Committee’s attention the findings from our report and had a fruitful discussion of the best methods for measuring and monitoring children's poverty.”
The Committee’s inquiry began in Summer 2003.
(GB)
Pictured: Professor Paddy Hillyard, Archie Kirkwood, Professor Eithne McLaughlin and Mike Tomlinson.
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