Danny Healy-Rae: Warns Children Are Going to School Hungry
Danny Healy-Rae addressed a parliamentary debate on a motion brought by Gary Gannon and the Social Democrats, warning that low and medium income families face severe financial pressure. He urged community welfare officers and schools to ensure children are not left hungry and called for financial support for school food provision.
Motion and speaker
Danny Healy-Rae thanked Gary Gannon and the Social Democrats for tabling the motion and used the opportunity to highlight the financial strain on many households. He framed the debate around the immediate needs of families and children struggling with the costs of rent, food and daily living.
Children going to school hungry
He said he knows for a fact that some children attend school hungry and that schools discreetly provide food for them. He stressed this is a real problem occurring across the country, including in urban schools, and must not be ignored.
Appeal to community welfare officers
He appealed to community welfare officers to continue their work supporting low income families, ensuring children have food and that their needs are met. He emphasised the frontline role these officers play in preventing children from going without basic nutrition.
Support for school food provision
Danny Healy-Rae urged elected representatives to insist that schools receive financial assistance to provide food services for hungry pupils. He described the need as a duty of representatives, noting money is scarce for many families and some are living on the bread line.
Personal and public concern
He acknowledged the wider pressures on households, including the cost of renting and putting food on the table, and called for practical measures to ensure young children have enough to eat. He framed the issue as an urgent social concern requiring continued attention from officials and schools.
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Danny Healy-Rae. Thank you very much, Chair Cahillock. First of all, I want to thank Gary Gannon and the Social Democrats for bringing this very important motion in front of us this morning to give us an opportunity to talk about this. Low and medium income families are under savage financial pressure. And the pressures and the costs of renting homes and providing a home and putting food on the table is real and a real problem for many families. I want to appeal to the community welfare officers who are doing very good work that they must continue to see after low income families to ensure that children have food and that all their needs are met. I do know for a fact that some children go to school hungry in the mornings. I do know that schools discreetly see after them and give them the opportunity to get food. And that's one way and one aspect of the whole thing that we as elected representatives should be insisting that schools get financial assistance to provide this service for the children that do come in hungry into the classroom. And it's not widespread, but it's there and it's a real problem and it is happening right across country and urban schools and it is a problem because money is very scarce and some people are living on the bread line and money is very, very tight. And we must ensure whatever else happens, that children are not left hungry in this time. Many people are more and are eating more than they should eat. Maybe I'm one of myself, but we must ensure that children going to school and young children, that they have enough to eat and that their needs are met. We have a duty to do that. Thanks, Deputy Healy Ray.
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