"In our experience, the biggest driver of poverty in recent years is housing costs," says SVP president Kieran Stafford, calling on voters to exercise their electoral power to make politicans reduce the misery of poverty in Ireland today.

“Over the coming years, we will continue to advocate to ensure that measures to tackle poverty are a key priority” – SVP.

“For a rich country like Ireland, it is unacceptable that so many people are going without basics,” said Kieran Stafford, National President, SVP.

SVP is still receiving an average of 1000 calls for help every day from worried families in the run-up to Christmas and is particularly concerned about some people in private rented accommodation.

“Based on the experience of our 11,000 members, we are willing to engage with Government to relate how future policies should be poverty proofed and work for those families that are struggling,” - Kieran Stafford, SVP National President.

Children are living in households which are going 24 hours without a substantial meal, or being cold because parents are unable to afford to heat the home.

“It is clear to us the economic recovery isn’t being felt by all as we are supporting parents who are under huge strain to meet the needs of their children because of the absence of appropriate quality public services” – Fergus Finlay, Barnardos.

“The Taoiseach recently said the elimination of child poverty was a moral imperative for any government. Yet child poverty rates in Ireland are a national scandal."

The latest Department of Environment figures reveal 865 children living in hostels, B&Bs and hotels.

Nearly one in seven people are in poverty of whom 211,000 are children.

SJI criticises Government as CSO figures show 756,591 people in poverty in Ireland.