Workers’ Party general election candidates have pledged their full support for the Single Parents Acting for the Rights of our Kids (SPARK) campaign to reverse the cuts imposed on lone parent families by the current Government. Rather, the Party is committed to implementing policies which reduce the dire levels of deprivation experienced by this sector of our community.
Workers’ Party Dublin Mid-West election candidate, Lorraine Hennessy, said: “As a lone parent myself I am fully aware of the struggle faced by families. Under the guise of a fake concern with getting people back into the workforce Joan Burton has overseen drastic cuts to supports for lone parents, for some families this has seen their incomes reduced by up to 18%.”
“At the same time nothing was done to improve the dire childcare situation in this country. In Dublin Mid-West neatly 30% of households are lone parent families. The cruel victimisation of this section of our community will be a mark of shame against the members of the outgoing government that remain long after their political careers are ended.”
Workers’ Party Cork City Councillor and Cork North Central election candidate, Ted Tynan, said: “The SPARK community has been actively campaigning to draw attention to the damage that these cuts have had. The Workers’ Party encourage all lone parents and their supporters to support candidates who have endorsed the SPARK campaign and ensure that this Friday is the last day of Fine Gael and Labour’s campaign to impoverish lone parent families. “
“In addition, the Workers’ Party calls for investment in affordable state child-care facilities and state investment in jobs which provide a living wage, enabling lone parents who would like to work the opportunity.”