Celtic Tiger Devours Children

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The Celtic Tiger is Returning

Returning Celtic Tiger Devours Irish Children

The IMF International Monetary Fund has issued a recent statement saying it expects the Irish economy to grow by no less than 5% this year. That figure, if it is realised, is more than three times 3X the expected EU average.

At the same time that this “rising tide” is in the process of bringing back the Celtic Tiger, we have been given a glimpse of a very dark underside of the Irish economy. A place where nearly one third 33% of all Irish children are now living in deprived households.

UNICEF Report on Ireland.

This upsetting figure comes from a new UNICEF report in which that organization states that children are now the most neglected demographic in Irish society.

Another black hole in the Irish economy is revealed in studies which indicate that while Ireland as a whole is doing very well financially on the world stage, it concurrently has the fourth worst income inequality figure in the EU, with an income gap of over 76%.

The Irish income gap appears to look a lot better when Social Welfare payout figures are applied. The Social Welfare payments narrow the income gap to a little over 41%.

The UNICEF report clearly says that this income gap is unsustainable and leaves many families "living on the edge".

The Definition of a Deprived Household.

The EU has deemed households as deprived if they are unable to afford at least three items from a list of essentials. The main items on this list are housing, heating, utility bills and a protein meal every other day. Other designated essentials include; the ability to face unexpected expenses, a yearly holiday of some sort, a telephone, a television, a washing machine, and in some cases a car.

UNICEF Statement on Ireland.

UNICEF Ireland, in a statement released by Peter Power, Executive Director said: "100 years ago this month, the Proclamation proclaimed to cherish all Irish children equally. This report demonstrates that as a demographic group Irish children are falling behind other sections of society."

"The message is stark: as inequality increases, wealthy nations of the world are failing their most vulnerable children. " "Those with the least ability to narrow the gaps are being allowed to fall furthest behind."

UNICEF has urged the incoming government to act on the findings of the report.

Constitution of Ireland 

a reminder of some of its provisions.

Equality before the law:

Under Article 40.1. The equality of all citizens before the law is guaranteed.

Family and home life:

Under Article 41.1 the state promises to "protect the Family", and recognises the family as having "inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law".

Under Article 41.2 the state is required to ensure that "economic necessity" does not oblige a mother "to engage in labour to the neglect of [her] duties in the home".

Education:

Article 42 guarantees parents the right to determine where their children shall be educated (including at home), provided a minimum standard is met. Under the same article the state must provide for free primary level education. Currently Irish law also guarantees free second and third level education.

Social and Economic Policy.

Article 45 outlines a number of broad principles of social and economic policy.
The principles require, in summary, that:

(a) "justice and charity" must "inform all the institutions of the national life".
(b) Everyone has the right to an adequate occupation.
(c) The free market and private property must be regulated in the interests of the common good.
(d) The state must prevent a destructive concentration of essential commodities in the hands of a few.
(e) The state must supplement private industry where necessary.
(f) The state should ensure efficiency in private industry and protect the public against economic exploitation.
(g) The state must protect the vulnerable, such as orphans and the aged.
(h) No one may be forced into an occupation unsuited to their age, sex or strength.

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Recession Statistics in Ireland

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Food Poverty 

in Ireland

The Irish Department of Social Protection recently commissioned a study on “Food Poverty”. This study has, for the first time, established clear and simple criteria whereby to measure this growing problem in Ireland.

The measurement uses "deprivation markers" to define food poverty:

1. Households that cannot afford a meal with meat, or vegetarian equivalent, every second day.

2. Households that cannot afford a weekly roast dinner.

3. Household that have missed a meal over a two-week period, due to a lack of money.

4. Inability to have family or friends for a meal or drink once a month

10% of people questioned for a CSO (Central Statistics Office) Survey in 2010 on Income and Living Conditions, experienced at least two of these conditions. Food poverty in Ireland will now be measured every year from here forward.

The study only looked at food poverty from 2004 to 2010. Figures have not yet been produced for 2011 and 2012.

Somehow, and it is just my wild guess that, the figure, like the Fuel Poverty figure, will have increased. And just to depress you some more, here is my collection of variously published indicators that clearly show the trend in Ireland:


The Imbalance Indicators (updated) :

STRESS and DEPRESSION IN IRISH CHILDREN up in 2 years by 30%

ALCOHOL and SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN IRELAND up by 42%

(increased 42% in 5 years 2005 to 2010)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE up from 2010 to 2011 by 15%
(11,000 women and children sought refuge in 2011 according to SAFE organisation).

UNEMPLOYMENT has increased by 352%

( from 4.2% in 2007 to 14.8% by October 2012)

UNEMPLOYMENT among 15 to 24y group nationally stands at 39%

UNEMPLOYMENT in the 15 to 25y group in some areas is at 74%
HOUSE BUILDING homes built 8,488 has dropped over 90% since 2006 at 93,000, and is 20% down in one year.
BUSINESS INSOLVENCIES Up 13.30% from 2010.
(1,684 companies failed in 2012 alone)

FUEL POVERTY, (the decision to Eat or Heat) estimated to affect 40% of citizens

FOOD POVERTY in 2010 was estimated to be at 10%
FOOD PRICES have risen by an average of 12% in the last two years.
HOMELESSNESS up by as much as 45% in Dublin.

(from 70 in 2010 to a current estimate of as much as 101)

RETAIL SALES are down by 5.50%

SUICIDES are up in 2011 from 2010 by 7%

TRUST in the Irish Government in a recent survey fell to a mere 20%

DISSATISFACTION WITH GOVERNMENT stands at 73%
POLITICIANS are the 2nd least trusted profession in Ireland.
(Only 14% of Irish people trust politicians - I wonder why?  How about 26 TDs, members of the Irish Parliament, each claimed €5,000 expenses for August - when there are no sittings of the House)

DISPOSABLE INCOME SURVEY: 1.60 million Irish have €50 or less left each month after paying for essentials. In other words, roughly 36% of the Irish population have disposable income of €600 or less per year.
DISPOSABLE INCOME in lower income groups effectively down by nearly 19%

By contrast the imbalance in incomes:

INCOME FOR TOP IRISH EARNERS is up on average by over 4%

DUBLIN CITY MANAGER salary €190,000

COUNTY MANAGERS salary €153,260

Compare salaries:

SPANISH PRIME MINISTER'S salary €78,185

Ireland

is

Seriously

Imbalanced

Ireland is a seriously imbalanced society, fiscally, socially, politically, morally, ethically, and psychologically. Traditional religious and spiritual values have all but vanished, and there is a major lack of ethical balance and moral leadership.

Harping-on while Ireland Burns - - A Painting by ShameUs O'ConMan

We, Ireland a country beggared and in hock to the IMF, pay our county managers twice the salary of the Spanish Prime Minister, even as the population at large suffers some shocking imbalances and deprivations. Rome, like an apple, rotted from the core because of it's moral degeneration. From the perspective of many Irish citizens, there are many parallels to be found between the fall of Rome and present day Ireland.

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