Galway East TD Anne Rabbitte has called on the government to provide greater support for orphans and their guardians.
The Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Children and Youth Affairs said that in 2017, approximately 1,500 people were in receipt of a Guardian payment in respect of almost 2,000 children.
“Whilst this is a relatively small cohort of people it is vital that we offer support to these children and their guardians”, explained Deputy Rabbitte.
“Applying for a Guardian’s payment should automatically trigger a wraparound support service involving the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of Health, for example. There needs to be a whole of government approach and services such as counselling should also be readily available to children and their guardians.
“It is vital that those who find them themselves in this situation are adequately supported by the State, be it financially, emotionally or otherwise. I am therefore calling on the Government to step up and do more and develop a whole of government approach to supporting orphans and their guardians,” she added.
