Barnardos CEO, Fergus Finlay, Endorses Liam Hogan’s Campaign for Cavan/Monaghan

Labour’s candidate for Cavan/Monaghan, Liam Hogan, got a ringing endorsement from Barnardos CEO Fergus Finlay at a meeting in Carrickmacross on Tuesday 1^st February.

Mr Finlay had come to Monaghan to discuss the government’s short comings in dealing with children’s welfare issues and to comment on the Children’s Rights Alliance 2011 scorecard on government actions in the area of children’s services. As a well established children’s rights campaigner and as head of Barnardos Mr Finlay is well placed to be critical of the government’s record in this area.

Mr Finlay observed that the government has failed to live up to its promises to children for the third year running according to the Children’s Rights Alliance Report Card 2011, which has awarded Government an overall ‘D- grade’.  With the General Election now imminent, he called on political parties to take their responsibilities to children seriously: by developing ambitious commitments to children in their election manifestos and providing strong delivery of a new Programme for Government.  On Mr Hogan’s campaign Mr Finlay said he was always very impressed when candidates opted to stand for Labour as he understood the time, effort and commitment that was required adding that he was very impressed with Liam’s campaign and his clear understanding of how Labour policies will benefit the people of Cavan/Monaghan. He noted that Mr Hogan’s understanding of children’s welfare issues is also comprehensive given his career of working with vulnerable children in Cavan.

Commenting on the government track record in the area of children’s welfare Mr Hogan said, ‘early intervention in this area is key and I know from personal experience that it makes absolute economic sense to invest in children as early as possible. For example, studies in the area of education have shown that for €1 invested in early education for children saves €7 in the longer term.  We pay lip service to a smart economy but we cannot achieve a smart economy without smart citizens and as the Children’s Rights Alliance have clearly shown, the Fianna Fail/Green government has failed miserably to properly invest in this area.’

He went onto say, ‘The Labour Party has made clear commitments in this area and recently launched its Reading as a Right policy which will put in place a proper strategy to improve literacy levels among children if Labour forms part of the next government.’