Latest news with #Barnardos'
Irish Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
40% of parents borrowed money to provide essentials for their children
Four in 10 parents in Ireland borrowed money in the past year to provide essentials for their children. This is according to Barnardos' Cost of Living 2025 report which was published on Tuesday. It found that a significant number of parents are struggling. Of 1,000 parents across a nationally represented survey, 19% had to cut back or go without food over the past six months. Some 40% of parents said they skipped meals or reduced portion sizes so their children would have enough to eat, while 28% felt at some point they didn't have enough food to feed their children and 12% used a foodbank. Due to insufficient income, 18% of parents cut back on or went without heating and 17% on electricity in the past six months. One third of parents (32%) went into arrears on energy bills due to insufficient income. As the cost of living continues to rise, more than half (52%) cut back or went without social activities and 41% cut back on clothing. One in five parents said they went without or avoided medical appointments. The vast majority of parents (78%) said cost of living problems negatively affect their children, with 19% saying it significantly does. Only one in four parents said they did not need to cut back or go without essential items. Seven in ten parents said they sometimes or always worry about not being able to provide their children with daily essentials. One parent that took part in the survey said: 'I have turned the heating down in the house to reduce the bill, meaning the kids now sleep with extra blankets and wear jumpers or hoodies around the house. "I never want my children to go cold or hungry so I'll often try to sleep to stay warm and keep lights off to reduce bills also.' While another said: 'There's not much left for any pleasures in life. It's grim and not getting any better. It just keeps getting worse and worse. Dreading next winter's bills.' And a third commented: 'We are just barely getting by. My in-laws buy us fuel each week we couldn't afford it otherwise. I never have money in my purse or account. We are worse off than before.' Barnardos CEO Suzanne Connolly said the report shows that parents and children across the country 'are still going without or having to cut back on basic essentials'. She said: 'Parents on the lowest incomes are really struggling, as well as those just outside the threshold for welfare support. They are continuing to try everything to give their children the necessities for a decent quality childhood, but unfortunately at times failing.' Since this annual report began in 2021, Ms Connolly said things have 'remained static', despite repeated once-off Government cost of living measures. She added: 'There must be targeted permanent support introduced, otherwise more children will go without essentials next year. 'At an absolute minimum every child in Ireland should live in homes with adequate heating and electricity, sufficient nutritious food and appropriate clothing, as well as the opportunity to engage in sporting and cultural activities. Parents should not be at risk of constant financial distress in order to provide their children with these essentials.' The charity is recommending that the government increase the child support payment in line with inflation. This would require increasing the payment for children under 12 by €6 per week and for children aged 12 and over by €15 per week in Budget 2026. For the one-parent family payment in Ireland, there is an income disregard for the first €165 of gross weekly earnings. Barnardos recommends that this income disregard is increased, enabling single parents to retain more income. It says this would better protect children in these households who are at disproportionate risk of going without essentials. In Budget 2026 the charity is also asking for fuel allowance to be extended to those on this single parent payment, and that vulnerable families using prepaid metres should be placed on fuel allowance.
Sunday World
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Sunday World
Paul O'Connell: You've won the lottery if you had two parents at home growing up
FAMILY FIRST | The Ireland rugby legend appreciates the life he had as a child and is backing Barnardos' efforts to help kids and their parents The former Ireland captain turned coach and TV commentator is spearheading a new campaign in aid of a cause close to his chest, Barnardos. From next month, ALDI's Big BBQ for Barnardos will be in operation. It's a brand new initiative designed to help raise funds for Barnardos' Early Years and Family Support Services. Paul was first introduced to the charity 15 years ago by former political figure and columnist Fergus Finlay, who showed Paul several projects in Limerick city when Fergus was chief executive of Barnardos. Paul and a few young friends help to launch ALDI's Big BBQ for Barnardos in July 'One of them was the breakfast club. You've a lot of kids unfortunately in the country going to school with no lunch, and going to school as well with no breakfast, so Barnados were providing a service. Kids could come in, even with their parents, and they could get their breakfast and they could head into school,' he explains. The Limerickman points out that when he's hungry he's tricky to be around, so he can only imagine how difficult it would be for a hungry child to concentrate at school. 'There's probably a good chance that kid will be disruptive, so getting them in and giving them breakfasts was a great start to give him (or her) a good start in the day, but also they were able to keep an eye on the kids and get to know them. 'And if there was one of them who was a cheeky chappy and would come in for two or three days and [then] go into himself, they could flag that with someone in the school and they could check up on him,' he says. 'That was just one of the services they were providing. On a basic level it made sense to me. Paul has stepped in for coach Andy Farrell 'Then when you look at what Barnados do, there's a whole host of services they provide to help kids have better childhoods, but probably more importantly, they try to help parents do a better job of parenting.' Paul fondly reflects on his own upbringing. 'I grew up in a house in the country, both my parents, lovely home, cooked dinner every day when I got home, helped with my homework, put to bed at a decent hour, brought to all the sports I wanted to play, supported in everything I wanted to do. That was my upbringing, and I still find parenting pretty hard, I've three kids now,' he says. Munster and Ireland rugby legend Paul O'Connell News in 90 Seconds - Thursday, July 3 'There's a lot of parents out there, that wasn't their experience of childhood. Their childhood experiences might have been very, very traumatic, they don't have any example to go by and how to raise their kids, and that's where Barnados come in. 'They try to help people in any way they can, whether it's helping them to learn how to cook and what a nutritious meal is and how to plan the week, or it's mental health — everything and anything they can help.' Paul points out it's not just breakfast clubs that the charity maintains, but also the likes of supervised study groups and helping parents to do a better job. Read more 'Though I had a normal childhood growing up with two parents at home and all that stuff, that's not actually a normal childhood — you've actually won the lottery if that's your childhood,' he says. The 45-year-old married Emily O'Leary in France in 2013, and the couple have three children, Paddy (15), Lola (10) and Felix (7). Given his sporting pedigree, the children are following in his footsteps with Paddy playing on his school team, including once against Ireland coach Andy Farrell's son's school. 'I think that day they were well beaten by Andy Farrell's son's team,' says Paul, who is assistant coach with Ireland but has taken over Farrell's role for the moment while the Englishman manages the British and Irish Lions' current campaign. 'He [Paddy] loves it. I suppose he's 15 years of age; he plays lots of different sports, he enjoys them all, he takes them all seriously but not too seriously. The summer has come now so he's playing lots of golf. He's the only one of them that's played rugby at the moment, but he really enjoys it but doesn't take too seriously. 'They're playing hurling and camogie, they're playing Gaelic football. They're playing soccer. 'Lola is dancing and gymnastics, horse riding, all sorts going on. I love it, kind of like my childhood, my dad was sports mad, any sport we wanted, my mam the same, any sport we wanted to take up, any fad we had at all, it was encouraged, we were given lifts, we were brought there. 'I love going watching them training, I love the chats in the car on the way to training if they've a few mates with them, or the chats on the way home from training. 'I love what it gives them as well — there's a bit of discipline around, being picked on the team or not being on the team or winning and losing. Having to be a teammate, having to learn to pass the ball and all that stuff reminds me of my childhood — I'm really enjoying it.' Paul is a big barbeque fan, which gives him extra impetus for the new campaign. 'I love cooking in the summer — big cuts of meat, salad, some potatoes, I absolutely love it,' he raves. He has always been interested in nutrition. 'I think when you play professional rugby you end up with good habits around food,' he insists. 'From the age I turned professional at 21 I've always been involved with teams with a full-time nutritionist, so I've always been curious about healthy food and curious about cooking, and curious about trying to cook healthy without so much hassle, and I'm not bad at cooking at all. 'I love steak, with a salad and roast potatoes or something like that.' Register as a host at . If you can't attend a BBQ you can still donate at the link.
The Irish Sun
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
RTE star Louise Duffy & Virgin Media's Karen Koster among famous faces on Riverdance red carpet to support Barnardos
A NUMBER of famous faces hit the red carpet in support of children's charity Barnardos. 6 Louise Duffy appeared on the red carpet at the Barnardos Riverdance Show Credit: Garrett White - Commissioned by The Sun Dublin 6 Karen Koster and daughter Eve were all smiles in their laid-back looks Credit: Garrett White - Commissioned by The Sun Dublin 6 The Riverdance show teamed up with Barnardos to raise funds and awareness Credit: Photocall Ireland Louise - a well-known ambassador of the charity - was recently joined by a group of toddlers to launch their She looked glamorous attending the Riverdance fundraiser show as she stunned in a printed blazer by designer Dries Van Noten. The radio host completed her look with a beautiful red handbag and earrings. During her jaunt on the red carpet, she was interviewed by young Robert Brady, who was keen to get her thoughts about the fundraiser. READ MORE ON BARNARDOS Also making an appearance was telly star Karen, who was snapped alongside her daughter Eve. She opted for a glamorous but laid-back look, wearing a Many parents were also snapped with their beaming children as they entered the theatre to help raise funds for a great cause. All the profits from the Riverdance 30 - The New Generation performance today will be donated to help the work of Barnardos. Most read in Irish News The show is currently playing this summer until September 7. The New Generation celebrates the show's incredible 30th year milestone, with a special anniversary tour in the The huge production rejuvenates the much-loved original show with new innovative choreography, costumes and state of the art lighting, projection and motion graphics. Family's delight after winning The Irish Sun and Barnardo's 'Big Toddle' art competition for Sunway trip to Lapland It showcases the new generation of exceptional performers - all of whom were not born when the show began 30 years ago. Today's charity show comes on the back of a 12-hour Riverdanceathon that took place in front of the Gaiety Theatre on June 19 to help raise cash for the charity. The amazing event saw some 500 dancers from dance schools across Ireland take part, along with members of the Riverdance cast. 'THRILLED' Commenting on the partnership with Riverdance, the charity's Director of Fundraising, Mary Gamble, said: "Barnardos is thrilled to be the charity partner for Riverdance 2025 – and on such a special year as they celebrate their 30th anniversary." She added: "The funds raised from these events will support Barnardos' work with children and families in our centres, in families' own homes, and in schools across Ireland.' Riverdance CEO Padraic Moyles said: "We are very privileged to be given the opportunity to work with Barnardos. "Throughout this partnership we will endeavour to share our passion for music and dance and in some small way create enjoyable and inclusive occasions for some of the families in Barnardos' community.' 6 Louise Duffy was interviewed on the red carpet by young Robert Brady Credit: Garrett White - Commissioned by The Sun Dublin 6 Saoirse and Aoife Burrett attended the Riverdance Show Credit: Garrett White - Commissioned by The Sun Dublin 6 Anna Kurchenko, Henry Morgan and Peter Morgan also went to the fundraiser Credit: Garrett White - Commissioned by The Sun Dublin
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
See photos as Kerry toddlers take to the road for charity
The school has for over 20 years now been a huge supporter of the work done by Barnardos and has helped to raise an impressive €3,000 to date for the charity. Barnardos' mission is to deliver services and work with families, communities, and our partners to transform the lives of vulnerable children who are affected by adverse childhood experiences. Patricia Quigley, owner and manager of Scallywags Pre-School, had this to say about the event: 'We've been taking part in the Barnardos Big Toddle for more than 20 years and have always found it to be a fun and worthwhile fundraiser. It's all about children helping children. We share the stories of vulnerable children supported by Barnardos with our little ones, create hero capes, and give ourselves superhero names. Teaching children the value of helping others is a lesson that lasts a lifetime.' The Barnardos Big Toddle is designed for crèche and pre-school-aged children, with all funds going toward Barnardos' Early Years services. Since its inception, the Big Toddle has raised an impressive €4.84 million in support of Ireland's most vulnerable young children. Whether you're part of a crèche, a parent, or a childminder, everyone can host your own Big Toddle at any time during May or June by registering at Your support helps ensure that some of Ireland's youngest children receive the best start in life. For more on Barnardos and how to get involved, visit
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Little Killarney ‘scallywags' get up to good as they take part in Barnardos Big Toddle fundraiser
The school has for over 20 years now been a huge supporter of the work done by Barnardos and has helped to raise an impressive €3,000 to date for the charity. Barnardos' mission is to deliver services and work with families, communities, and our partners to transform the lives of vulnerable children who are affected by adverse childhood experiences. Patricia Quigley, owner and manager of Scallywags Pre-School, had this to say about the event: 'We've been taking part in the Barnardos Big Toddle for more than 20 years and have always found it to be a fun and worthwhile fundraiser. It's all about children helping children. We share the stories of vulnerable children supported by Barnardos with our little ones, create hero capes, and give ourselves superhero names. Teaching children the value of helping others is a lesson that lasts a lifetime.' The Barnardos Big Toddle is designed for crèche and pre-school-aged children, with all funds going toward Barnardos' Early Years services. Since its inception, the Big Toddle has raised an impressive €4.84 million in support of Ireland's most vulnerable young children. Whether you're part of a crèche, a parent, or a childminder, everyone can host your own Big Toddle at any time during May or June by registering at Your support helps ensure that some of Ireland's youngest children receive the best start in life.
