HUNDREDS OF people gathered at the famine memorial at Custom House Quay in Dublin yesterday as part of a worldwide mobilisation against poverty and inequality. The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, a UN-designated day, is aimed at highlighting the struggles faced by poor people across the globe.
Among those at the gathering yesterday were children from the inner city, Travellers and homeless people who spoke of their struggles against poverty. Marie Maher (53), a mother-of-five originally from the north inner city, spoke of her attempts to educate her children.
“It’s been a real struggle all the way through. Most of my life I’ve felt that I haven’t had a voice and that people have been pointing the finger at me, blaming me for my life,” she said. “But it doesn’t have to be that way. Since joining a women’s support group in the city, I’m able to speak up for myself. We have to stand up for our rights and the rights of other people living in poverty.”
Campaigners yesterday unveiled a commemorative stone by Irish artist Stuart McGrath a few metres from the famine memorial, engraved with the words of French anti-poverty campaigner, Joseph Wresinski. It reads: “Wherever men and women are condemned to live in poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights are respected is our solemn duty.”
Kevin O’Kelly, acting head of the Combat Poverty Agency – which is to be integrated into the Department of Social and Family Affairs – said it was more important than ever for the Government to meet its anti-poverty targets.
“There are 300,000 people in Ireland living in consistent poverty. This means they are deprived of basic necessities, such as adequate heat, food and clothing,” he said. “Over one-third of those living in consistent poverty are under 16. Clearly, the Government has a lot to do if it is to meet its own target of eliminating consistent poverty by 2016.”
Maurice Manning of the Irish Human Rights Commission, the keynote speaker at the ceremony, said poverty was a human rights issue and that the commission would continue to monitor closely the Government’s performance.
The commission will have its budget cut by more than one-quarter by the Government.
Jillian Van Turnhout, representing the Children’s Rights Alliance, said unveiling the commemorative stone could not happen at a more relevant time.
“Brian Lenihan’s first Budget, will drive more and more children into poverty,” she said. “Poverty is a dead weight that has already dragged far too many Irish families into darkness and despair: today is about coming together and saying enough is enough.”
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