National one-parent family organisation One Family today were disappointed with the dismal increase in the top-up payment targeted at those with children dependent on social welfare – the first increase to the Child Dependent Allowance (CDA) for 12 years.
Commenting on the increase Candy Murphy, One Family’s Policy Manager said ‘while we welcome a move away from an exclusive focus on general Child Benefit to one which specifically targets the families most in need we are concerned about the lack of real difference this will make. The nature of the increase means that children in one-parent families who are the poorest family type, will only receive a paltry €2.70 increase in Child Dependent Allowance per week. We are also disappointed that the Budget does not include a top-up for all low-income families. The long-term key to breaking the cycle of poverty is a targeted top-up payment for all low-income families, irrespective of whether they are claiming social welfare or working in low-paid employment.’
The additional support for low-income families with school going children in the form of increases in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is welcome. However, the low take up rates for this and the Family Income Supplement mean that this support will fail to reach many of the families who need it most. Such payments should be made automatically to all families who are entitled to them.
One Family are disappointed that this Budget once again failed to recognise that supports are vitally needed for families going through separation and divorce. The organisation had asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to make provision for the establishment of a number of pilot child and family centres to provide information and support to the families and children experiencing such a difficult time.
‘While we welcome individual moves such as the long-awaited increase to the top-up payment for families dependent on social welfare’, said Ms Murphy, ‘we are disappointed that this Budget fails to present a coherent strategy to address the interlinking reality of family change and financial hardship facing many one-parent families in Ireland.’
Download a copy of One Family’s Pre-Budget Submission here or call 01 662 9212
National one-parent family organisation One Family today called on the Government not to forget that in a time when the coffers are full, many one-parent families continue to struggle in a vicious cycle of poverty.
Commenting on tomorrow’s Budget, One Family’s Policy & Campaigns Manager, Candy Murphy stated that ‘poverty is no longer an issue of there not being enough to go around, it is a denial of basic human rights. While overall poverty levels have decreased marginally one-parent families were almost a third more likely to have been without heating during 2005, than in 2004, and the number of one-parent families unable to afford a warm waterproof coat almost doubled during that time (EU-SILC, 2005).’
This Budget looks to be focusing on issues of stamp duty and higher-level taxation, rather than focusing on the poorest families and children. ‘In order to lift vulnerable families and children in Ireland out of consistent poverty’, Ms Murphy continued, ‘the Government must provide a coherent package of targeted supports for one-parent families and other low-income families. The key to breaking the cycle of poverty is a targeted top-up payment for all low-income families, irrespective of whether they are claiming social welfare or working in low-paid employment. As this is unlikely to be part of tomorrow’s Budget, it is vital that the Child Dependent Allowance, which is the top-up payment currently available to families on social welfare, is increased to €40 a week if it is to have any real effect on the poverty experienced by many one-parent families.’
One Family are also hoping to see the significant increases in the One Parent Family Payment, the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowances, the Fuel Allowance and the Family Income Supplement, as well as free medical cards for all children.
Budget 2007 must also address vital issues for families, including:
* providing adequate supports to assist families experiencing family breakdown and new family formation;
* recognising and supporting the role of parenting and shared parenting in one-parent families; and
* commissioning research on the rights and needs of non-marital families.
Download a copy of the One Family Pre-Budget Submission here or call 01 662 9212
ENDS
For further information or a copy of the full submission contact:
Ruth Coleman, Communications Manager 01 662 9212/086 174 2315
Candy Murphy, Policy & Campaigns Manager 01 662 9212
One-parent family organisation One Family is today delighted to announce a new partnership with itsa bagel. During December, 50 cent from every Santy Bagel sold in the four itsa bagel Dublin stores will go towards funding a special helpline service to support one-parent families over the difficult holiday period. Speaking at the launch of the helpline, Peaches Kemp, itsa bagel co-owner said ‘we are delighted to be working with One Family to reach out to families in need at Christmas. At such a happy time of year it is too easy to forget that Christmas is not always a good time for everyone. One Family are providing a vital lifeline for many families who would otherwise struggle alone during the holidays.’
itsa bagel will also be extending the challenge to its customers, who will be asked to match the itsa bagel donation with a 50 cent donation of their own.
Commenting on the new partnership and the need for such a dedicated service for one-parent families, One Family Director, Karen Kiernan, said that ‘Christmas can be a wonderful time of celebration, yet it can also be a time of enormous stress for many families. Financial strain, complicated access arrangements and strained relationships can leave many parents feeling anxious and exhausted. We are very excited to work with a partner with such a strong sense of corporate social responsibility. The unique askonefamily National Christmas Helpline will provide practical support and a listening ear for many families going through crisis and hardship this Christmas.’
askonefamily National Christmas Helpline
The National Helpline for all members of all one-parent families.
1890 66 22 12
Christmas opening hours:
10am–3pm Monday–Friday, 1–22 and 27–29 December
Email: support@onefamily.ie
In addition to providing support via the helpline, One Family has also produced a Christmas Survival Guide for One-Parent Families. The Guide is available by contacting One Family on 01 6629212 or click here
It includes practical information on dealing with issues such as financial pressures and family conflict, as well as handy tips for Christmas. itsabagel will also be distributing two One Family postcards with advice on dealing with family conflict and coping when you have to spend all or part of the holidays away from your children.
One-parent family organisation One Family today calls on Government to ensure that one-parent families are no longer denied many of their basic human rights.
Speaking at the launch of their new publication, Human Rights and One-Parent Families, One Family Director, Karen Kiernan, said that ‘we tend to think of human rights as something that is denied to people in other, less affluent countries, but the stark reality is that many families in Ireland are denied their basic human rights. Human rights are more than just political, and many one-parent families in Ireland suffer from a lack of basic legal, economic and social rights. The Constitution’ she continues, ‘underpins such inequalities in its failure to recognise the rights of non-marital families and children.’
Human rights are the key to ensuring an equitable and fair future for everyone in Ireland. ‘As individuals and a society we must take ownership of human rights and no longer leave it in the preserve of legal experts. The lack of basic human rights experienced by one-parent families is reflected in such families being three times more likely to live in poverty, having lower educational levels and experiencing real difficulties accessing housing and other services. Poverty is not a simple issue of there not being enough to go around, it is a denial of basic human rights’, said Candy Murphy, One Family’s Policy & Campaigns Manager.
One Family are launching Human Rights and One-Parent Families, to dispel the myth that human rights is an issue best left to legal experts. The booklet is designed to empower those working with one-parent families to lobby for real change and to advance the rights of one-parent families, and indeed, everyone in Ireland. One Family are delighted to have the booklet launched by Dr Maurice Manning, President of the Irish Human Rights Commission.
As a specialist family support organisation with nearly 35 years experience of working with one-parent families, One Family believes that Government should embrace human rights and the potential it has to better the lives of everyone in Ireland.
‘It has been proved time and again that investment in change leads to a reduction in the long-term costs of supporting the more marginalised and vulnerable groups in society’ said Ms Murphy. ‘Investment in early childhood care and education is a perfect example of how addressing people’s rights at the outset leads to a more positive outcome for everyone, providing people with the tools to create a better future for themselves and their children, and to contribute more effectively to society.’
ENDS
For further information contact:
Ruth Coleman 01 662 9212/086 174 2315 or Karen Kiernan 01 662 9212/086 850 9191
NOTES TO EDITORS
The booklet Human Rights and One-Parent Families is an easy-to-read introduction to human rights and how they can be used to advance the rights of one-parent families in Ireland.
Foreword written by Mary Robinson
Copies of the booklet are available free by calling 01 662 9212 or a PDF can be downloaded here.
National one-parent family organisation One Family today called on Minister Brennan as the minister with responsibility for families, to place families at the heart of Government policy. Speaking at the Pre-Budget Forum, One Family’s Policy and Campaigns Manager, Candy Murphy said that ‘policies need to look at the family as a whole and recognise the diversity of roles played by those living in one-parent families – such as parenting, other caring responsibilities, the development of skills and qualifications, and the opportunity to participate in employment and wider society.’
‘It is especially important,’ she continued, ‘that families are appropriately supported during and following relationship breakdown and new family formation. In particular, given increasing concern in society about shared access to children and other legal issues affecting families, One Family calls for the establishment of family law and children’s centres to provide information and support services to such families.’
Setting out ten steps to achieving equality for all families, One Family also highlighted the importance of targeting State funds at children in poverty through increases in the Child Dependent Allowance and Back to School and Clothing & Footwear Allowances. Ms Murphy said that ‘at a time when State coffers are full, the Government has never been better placed to address child poverty. One Family called for the Child Dependent Allowance to be increased to €40 per week pending the promised introduction of an employment neutral new childcare payment for families living in poverty.’
One Family have drawn up a coordinated plan of ten steps to achieve equality for all families.
1. Provide adequate incomes for one-parent families dependent on social welfare.
2. Provide adequate supports to ensure that lone parents in work can access well paid and meaningful employment.
3. Remove poverty traps that prevent one-parent families moving off social welfare dependency.
4. Remove barriers that currently prevent one-parent families achieving equal access to housing and healthcare.
5. Provide adequate supports to assist families experiencing family breakdown and new family formation.
6. Give recognition and support for the role of parenting in one-parent families.
7. Remove inequalities faced by migrant one-parent families.
8. Provide equitable pregnancy services for all.
9. Ensure the rights of non-marital one-parent families.
10. Develop a coordinated strategy to achieve equality for all one- parent families.
Dowload a full copy of the One Family Pre-Budget Submission here
ENDS
For further information or a copy of the full submission contact:
Ruth Coleman, Communications Manager 01 662 9212/086 174 2315
Candy Murphy, Policy & Campaigns Manager 01 662 9212
Pre-Budget Submisson 2012
One Family’s Pre-Budget Submission to the Department of Social Protection
One Family pre-budget 2012 submission
Submission to: Department of Social and Family Affairs
Pre-Budget Submisson 2011
Introduction
One Family is again framing its submission in a way that takes account of the serious economic downturn currently being experienced in the economy and in recognition that, while short term financial problems must be a key concern, The Department of Social Protection, supported by other Departments, should:
- Base all decisions on the premise of not increasing poverty among one-parent families
- Develop and implement a coherent strategy to reduce child poverty which is strongly and increasingly concentrated in one-parent families
- Ensure that proven supports to assist lone parents to secure and/or progress into employment, education and skill development pioneered to date by FAS and the Department of Social Protection in partnership with One Family are maintained and built on
- Ensure that existing supports to assist families going through crisis pregnancy, marriage and relationship breakdown and new family formations are not dismantled
- Build on positive supports for families and children already in place, e.g the universal free preschool year.
One Family 2011 pre-budget submission sent 21 09 10
Pre-Budget Submission 2010
Introduction
The 2010 pre-budget report has framed its submission around the economic downturn. One-parent families are facing increased financial and other pressures due to the cutbacks already imposed by Government in the earlier budget in 2009 and in the 2008 budget. These cutbacks already seriously affecting one-parent families include:
- Reductions in Rent Supplement and increases in rent contribution required by the tenant
- Removal and reductions in payments for children – removal of the Early Child Care Supplement and Child Benefits cuts for 18 year olds
- Removal of the Christmas bonus for those on welfare
- Exclusion of those on the One-Parent Family Payment from many of the new training and education initiatives introduced by FAS
- Cutbacks in education grants – often in the middle of courses
- Cutbacks in support for schools and for school children in low income families.
One Family 2010 pre-budget submission 15 10 09 tk
Pre-Budget Report 2009
Introduction
This report has framed its submission in a way that takes account of the serious economic downturn currently being experienced in the economy and of the expectation, as forecast by the ERSI in its latest Medium Term Review, that the economy will soor return to a long-term growth path.
One Family 2009 pre-budget submission 11 September 2008
Pre-Budget Submission 2008
Introduction
This report has framed its submission around the 3 main areas indentified in the National Economic and Social Council report on the Development Welfare state (NESC Report No. 113. May 2005)
These areas are
- Income Adequacy
- Services
- Innovation
One Family pre-budget submission October 2007
Pre-Budget Submission 2007
Introduction
One Family welcomes this opportunity to submit our pre-Budget submission to the Department of Social and Family Affairs. This year we are framing our submission around the ten areas that we believe are vital to addressing the inequalities experienced by one-parent families in Ireland today.
Pre-budget-submission 2007-PDF
National one-parent family organisation One Family in its Pre-Budget Submission today called on Minister Brennan to tackle ten key areas to combat the massive inequalities experienced by one-parent families in Ireland:
1. Adequate incomes for one-parent families dependent on social welfare
2. Adequate supports to ensure that lone parents in work can access well paid and meaningful employment
3. Poverty traps that prevent one-parent families moving off social welfare dependency
4. Barriers that currently prevent one-parent families achieving equal access to housing and healthcare
5. Adequate supports to assist families experiencing family breakdown and new family formation
6. Recognition and support for the role of parenting in one-parent families
7. Inequalities faced by migrant one-parent families
8. Equitable pregnancy services for all
9. The rights of non-marital one-parent families
10. A coordinated strategy to achieve equality for all one-parent families
Speaking at the launch of the organisation’s Pre-Budget submission for 2007, One Family’s Policy & Campaigns Manager, Candy Murphy stated that: ‘while poverty and financial insecurity remain major issues for many one-parent families and must be concretely addressed, the Minister, as Minister for both Social Welfare and Family Affairs, must ensure that Budget 2007 also focuses on key issues for families, including:
* adequate supports to assist families experiencing family breakdown and new family formation;
* recognition and support for the role of parenting and shared parenting in one-parent families; and
* commissioning research on the rights and needs of non-marital families.’
‘Families today face many challenges in terms of managing competing pressures’ she continued. ‘For many one-parent families, those challenges become almost insurmountable when combined with the barriers that exist to accessing supports during family breakdown situations. Children are particularly vulnerable and in need of support during such difficult times – therefore a key recommendation includes research on and funding for pilot child contact centres.’
Commenting on the recommendations made in the submission, One Family Director Karen Kiernan noted that ‘a coordinated, comprehensive strategy from Government is needed to achieve equality for all families in Ireland. It is time to stop deceiving ourselves that we live in a fair nation with equal opportunities for all, when one in six families are left to flounder without adequate supports. We welcome Government moves this year to review the supports provided to one-parent families, but this must be backed up by a recognition that one-parent families, like all families, come in all shapes and sizes, with differing needs. A one-size fits all strategy of labour market activation may only seek to further marginalise Ireland’s most disadvantaged families.’
One Family are confident that the practical recommendations they suggest are very achievable and can provide an effective beginning to the formulation of a coordinated strategy to support one-parent families in Ireland.
Download a pdf of the full Pre-Budget Submission here.
ENDS
For further information or a copy of the full submission contact:
Ruth Coleman, Communications Manager 01 662 9212/086 174 2315
Candy Murphy, Policy & Campaigns Manager 01 662 9212
Karen Kiernan, Director 01 662 9212/086 850 9191
One-parent family organisation One Family today announced a 20 per cent increase in the number of one-parent families and professionals accessing their services in 2005.
Commenting on the significant increase in the demand on One Family’s services at the launch of their new Policy Paper: Ensuring Quality of Life for All One-parent Families, One Family Director, Karen Kiernan, said that ‘the most difficult thing about the increase in families needing our services is that for many, they are trapped in impossible circumstances that they cannot change.’
‘Many solo parents who have fought against the odds to get back into education or employment find themselves struggling to provide a basic good quality of life for their families’ she continued. ‘Balancing work, education, and family and personal life while also having access to affordable, suitable housing and childcare is like managing a complex jigsaw. Just as many families see a positive future in sight, they realise that they are missing a vital piece of the puzzle, such as affordable childcare, and find themselves back where they started. One Family’s Annual Report 2005 highlights the fact that one-parent families come in many different shapes and sizes, with very different needs.’
In the draft Social Partnership agreement, ‘the Government and the social partners recognise the central importance of the family unit to the lives of children and the need to strengthen the system of supports available to children and their families.’ With one in six families in Ireland now a one-parent family, the time has come to face the reality that if we are to really give all children an equal chance, one-parent families must be supported in a coordinated manner to achieve the basic quality of life that all families deserve.
Candy Murphy, Policy & Campaigns Manager at One Family stresses that ‘we can no longer focus on the dichotomy of work versus caring responsibilities – 60 per cent of families on the One Parent Family Payment are already working, so it is no longer possible to say that work on its own is enough. The proposed reforms of financial supports for one-parent families focus on rebalancing the work–parenting relationship, rather than on looking at how policy can break the cycle of multiple inequalities experienced by many one-parent families. Modern life has become increasingly complex. Quality of life entails not only work and parenting, but also access to housing, healthcare, childcare, education and training, as well as to the resources required to participate in community life and in wider society.’
She went on to say that ‘having reviewed the available research, One Family is convinced that the provision of a wide range of education opportunities for both children and adults in one-parent families holds the key to a life free of poverty and inequality for such families. Such educational opportunities must include early childhood development and education, support for continuing participation in education for young parents as well as easy access to second chance education for solo parents, if it is to be successful in improving the overall quality of life of one-parent families in Ireland today.’
ENDS
For further information contact:
Ruth Coleman (Communications Manager) 01 662 9212/086 174 2315 or Karen Kiernan (Director) 01 662 9212/086 850 9191
Need for a Coherent Policy Framework
Overall, One Family believes that there is an urgent need to develop and implement a coherent policy framework for one-parent families that reflects the realities of their lives and those of their children.
The key objectives of this framework in our view would be: (more…)
Role of One Family
One Family works with all types of one-parent families as well as with new and blended families. Much of our work revolves around issues related to the formation and ending of family relationships. In all cases our primary concern is the impact of such situations on the child, on ensuring the availability of adequate supports for children and on supporting legal frameworks that overtly address the best interests of the child.
We therefore focus our recommendations to the Working Group with this priority in mind.
Submission-on-Domestic-Partnership-May-2006-PDF
One Family welcomes this opportunity to submit our proposals to the social partnership process.
Given the importance of the current social partnership discussions in terms of framing economic and social policy in Ireland over the next possibly ten year period, One Family is keen to ensure that the issues affecting our clients, one-parent families, are adequately addressed in the discussions and that the current proposals for changing state supports for lone parents are clearly linked in with other major strategic developments and related funding sources.
Submission-to-Social-Partnership-PDF
One-parent family organisation One Family (formerly Cherish) today welcomed moves by Minister Brennan and his department to address the key issues of poverty and social welfare dependency among one-parent families. Yet, One Family cautioned that the reforms proposed will require real, long-term commitment from the State if they are to seriously addresses the realities facing many of Ireland’s poorest and most disadvantaged families.
One Family believes that the success of the proposed reforms will depend on the supports available to allow parents move on to work that can support their families – including adequate, flexible and affordable childcare, after school care, and training and skills-based education opportunities.
‘The reality is that 60 per cent of those on the One Parent Family Payment are already working, but are trapped in low-skilled, low-paid, part-time employment’ comments Karen Kiernan, One Family Director. ‘With nearly 50 per cent of those on the payment having below Leaving Certificate qualifications, any proposed changes must provide real opportunities for parents to take up skills-based education and training, including providing quality childcare, that will lead on to well-paid employment’ she concluded.
One Family believes that given the current lack of supports available, the proposed changes should be phased in over ten years rather than five, allowing enough time for such supports to be built up and different models to be piloted in cooperation with experts in the field. Detailed profiling will also be crucial to identifying the specific needs of subgroups of one-parent families who may be particularly vulnerable.
With 50 per cent of those on the current payment having children under the age of 8, One Family would question whether the proposed changes, which do not include any initiative for families with children under 7, can realistically achieve their aim of lifting families out of poverty.
Commenting on the proposed reforms, One Family Policy Manager Candy Murphy said ‘the State must ensure that no family is financially worse off after moving off the payment; that families are not penalised if a lack of childcare and other necessary supports prevents parents from increasing their working hours or taking up work; and that families do not get less financial support if state training and education services are unavailable to allow them to improve their earning potential.
Finally, Candy Murphy said that ‘we must also ask ourselves if we want to move to a position where the option of parenting children over the age of eight at home is denied to many families.’
One Family is currently carrying out a consultation process with our members and other NGOs and we will be producing a detailed submission to the DSFA by the end of May. The submission will be publicly available on our website: www.onefamily.ie
ENDS
For further information contact:
Ruth Coleman 01 662 9212/086 174 2315 or Karen Kiernan on 01 662 9212/086 8509191
NOTES TO EDITORS:
* 60 per cent of recipients of the One Parent Family Payment were in employment, more than half of whom were earning less than €150 per week.
* 47 per cent of those on the payment have below Leaving Certificate qualifications.
* 50 per cent of those on the payment have children under 8 years of age.
* 60 per cent of those on the payment have only one child.
One-parent family organisation One Family (formerly Cherish) welcomed the decision by the Minister to engage in a process of consultation around the proposals launched today to support one-parent and other low-income families.
One Family believes it is crucial that the proposed reforms offer realistic choices for families. According to the report, one-parent families dependent on social welfare will not receive any payment increases under the proposed new Parental Allowance. In fact, the income disregard level currently in place will decrease slightly. Therefore, those dependent on the payment with children up to the age of seven are likely to continue to be caught in a vicious cycle of poverty.
The preferred option in the report is then the complete removal of the proposed Parental Allowance after the youngest child reaches the age of seven. After that, those parenting alone who are not accessing employment, education or training will be moved on to unemployment assistance. One Family Policy and Campaigns Manager Candy Murphy said that ‘we are particularly concerned that the reforms may create a situation where one-parent families are likely to then face a difficult choice of continuing in poverty or returning to work on a full-time basis, regardless of their ongoing caring responsibilities.’
One Family believes that the reforms will only benefit one-parent families if there is a coordinated strategy and real cooperation between departments and state agencies. In particular, FÁS and the Department for Education must review their provision so that skills-based courses, educational qualifications and financial supports are provided on a more flexible basis, allowing for greater take up by one-parent families.
Commenting on the reforms, One Family Director Karen Kiernan said ‘it has been shown that employment is one of the main routes out of poverty, however, any efforts to support solo parents into employment must recognise that 60 per cent of those on the current payment are already working but are trapped in low-skilled, low-paid, part-time employment. Helping one-parent families to move out of poverty requires a range of supports and related funding that will help these families to take up sustainable employment. Such supports include access to affordable, quality childcare, skills-based education and training, and the removal of social welfare poverty traps. Unfortunately, the report provides little detail on how the issue of affordable childcare for low-income families will be effectively addressed.’
ENDS
For further information contact:
Ruth Coleman 01 662 9212/086 174 2315 or Candy Murphy 01 662 9212/0872933180
NOTES TO EDITORS:
* 60 per cent of recipients of the One Parent Family Payment were in employment, more than half of whom were earning less than €150 per week.
* 47 per cent of those on the payment have below Leaving Certificate qualifications.
* 50 per cent of those on the payment have children under 8 years of age.
* 60 per cent of those on the payment have only one child.
One-parent family organisation One Family (formerly Cherish) today announced that they will be running their innovative Positive Parenting: Training for Trainers course in Limerick. The course provides all those working with families with the tools to design and deliver effective and life-changing parenting courses.
Covering the development of a ten-week Positive Parenting Programme, the training will allow those working with families to effectively support parents in developing successful parenting strategies. Already working for hundreds of professionals around Ireland, this course is a unique programme with a particular focus on one-parent families.
One Family Director, Karen Kiernan stressed the crucial importance of supporting all parents and families. ‘The Positive Parenting Manual which forms the basis of our Positive Parenting course is the only Irish parenting resource to also address the specific needs of this very diverse group of families. We have organised the training in Limerick to help professionals support the large numbers of non-traditional families in Limerick.’
At One Family we know that families come in all shapes and sizes and in all circumstances. So, in addition to looking at key issues facing families as they parent, it also provides additional modules covering topics such as multicultural parenting and bullying, allowing workers to develop a course that suits the needs and situation of their particular clients.
Notes for Editors:
* There are nearly 7,000 one-parent families in Limerick.
* The percentage of one-parent families in Limerick City is 16 per cent, above the national average of 11.4 per cent.
* Births outside marriage account for more than half of all births in Limerick city at 54 per cent, compared with a national average of 32 per cent, and are the highest rate of any city.
* The percentage of one-parent families living in Limerick County is 10 per cent.
* The percentage of births to under 20s in Limerick city is twice the national average at 8 per cent, compared with 4 per cent nationally, and is the highest rate in any Irish city.
Course duration: 3 days, Cost: €300.
A copy of the Positive Parenting Manual worth €150 is included in the cost of the training.
To book your place contact the Training and Consultancy Service on 01 662 9212 or email us at training@onefamily.ie
ENDS
For further information contact:
Ruth Coleman 01 662 9212/086 174 2315 or
Karen Kiernan 01 662 9212/086 850 9191
One-parent family organisation One Family (formerly Cherish) today called on the Government to look beyond the limitations of today’s All-Party Oireachtas Committee Report on the Constitution and to shape a Constitution that reflects the diversity of family life in Ireland today.
Commenting on the report One Family Director, Karen Kiernan noted that ‘the review of the Constitution is a real chance for Ireland to support all of its families equally. We welcome moves to ensure that all children will be equal before the law and that ‘regard shall be had to the best interests of that child’, but the Constitution needs to go beyond this, to ensure that the welfare of the child shall be the paramount consideration in all proceedings concerning the child’s best interests.
Full equality for children requires that the State acknowledges and supports all families from which children hail, regardless of the form that such families take. The failure to expand the definition of family is effectively declaring that children in non-marital families are second class citizens in second class families. This is clearly unacceptable. We urge the Government to reconsider the recommendations made in the 1996 review of the Constitution to broaden and redefine the term “family”.’
According to One Family Chairperson, Dr Fergus Ryan, ‘it is possible to support marriage while simultaneously acknowledging and celebrating the contributions made by parents and children in one-parent families and we strongly disagree that an extension of the definition of the family would ‘cause deep and long-lasting division in our society’. The failure to acknowledge the diversity of family life in Ireland in our Constitution brings Ireland into conflict with its obligations under international law, particularly in relation to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which requires the State to respect private and family life, home and correspondence of all persons resident in Ireland. The decision to take a legislative rather than a Constitutional route also poses a serious problem and we run a serious risk of any legislation stemming from the Committee’s recommendations being unenforceable if it conflicts with the Constitution.’
One Family welcomes greater choice for families, whereby ‘the State shall endeavour to ensure both parents shall not be obliged by economic necessity to work outside the home to the neglect of their parental duties’. One Family calls on the Government to clarify what such a change will mean for one-parent families, and how such new rights will be reflected in the current policy reviews of the One Parent Family Payment and Lone Parents and Poverty. We welcome the recommendation that ‘legislation to promote the welfare of children should have a special concern to secure adequate resources for lone-parent families.’ We look forward to seeing this being reflected in these key policy reviews.
ENDS
For further information contact:
Ruth Coleman 01 662 9212/086 174 2315 or Karen Kiernan 01 662 9212/086 850 9191
For legal comment agus as Gaeilge Dr Fergus Ryan 086 8534761
NOTES TO EDITORS
One Family made a submission to the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution in February 2005 calling on the review to achieve the following objectives.
1. To displace the privileged position of the marital family by the recognition of alternative family forms.
2. To place the child and his or her interests at the heart of our family law policy and to make practical efforts to realise this aim.
3. To bring Irish law into line with the ECHR by placing an obligation on the state to respect and support family life in all its manifestations and to create laws which reflect the realities of the diversity of family life in modern Ireland.
In order to proffer a way forward in reforming the Constitution to take into consideration the variety and diversity of families and the needs for equality of treatment under the law and to increase the visibility of the protection of the rights of children, regardless of their family situation, One Family suggested the following addendum to Article 42:
Article 42A
1. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the State guarantees to respect and shall endeavour to support all families in the State, regardless of the form that such families may take, and to protect and defend the rights of all individuals who are members of those families.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the State guarantees in particular, and as far as practicable, to assist and support all parents and guardians in promoting the best interests of the child. In so doing, the State shall promote the welfare of the child as the paramount consideration in all proceedings concerning the child’s best interests.
3. The State shall in particular, endeavour to assist and support parents and guardians, as far as practicable, in securing for all children a basic quality of life and in particular food, clothing, education and accommodation sufficient to his or her needs.