Now you see us – The human stories behind poverty in Ireland is a new report by the Irish Community Platform, a network of 30 organisations including ATD Fourth World Ireland.

It features a series of interviews with families, single people, community workers and marginalised groups on how the recession and resulting government policies have affected their lives. The publication aims to reveal the human stories of those hardest hit by austerity policies and the devastation suffered by people on low income and social welfare throughout the Irish recession after the 2008 crash.

The report documents parents going hungry to feed their children, people unable to heat their homes and a young generation at serious risk of being lost to unemployment, drugs and crime. The Community Platform has submitted its report to all members of the Government and opposition members of Parliament.  Community Platform spokesperson Edel McGinley concluded “People on social welfare have been vilified and stereotyped as work-shy and idle. This is simply not the case: our report shows that people do want to work, but austerity policies and lack of opportunity continue to trap them in unemployment and low-paid part-time work. It’s time for our politicians to stand up for struggling families and communities”.

Documents

Now you see Us- The human stories behind poverty in Ireland – Final