Lynn Boylan: Prioritise Families, Not Militarisation
Lynn Boylan addressed the Commission to argue that tackling poverty requires urgent public investment in housing and energy, not a shift that burdens households. She cited 320,000 households in energy arrears, rising disconnections and eviction levels comparable to the famine era to illustrate the human cost.
Summary of the address
Lynn Boylan sets out a direct link between poverty, social cohesion and public policy. She argues that failure to combat poverty pits marginalised groups against each other, prevents children from fulfilling their potential and creates lifelong consequences unless immediate action is taken.
Key facts and figures
Boylan highlights that 320,000 households in Ireland are in energy arrears, disconnections continue to rise and eviction levels exceed those seen during the famine. She uses these figures to underline the scale of the crisis and the urgent need for a different funding approach.
Policy demands and consequences
The speaker calls for large-scale public funding and targeted investment in housing, energy infrastructure and cheap renewables. She insists the transition to cleaner energy must not make families pay the price and that investment must prioritise households and essential services.
Political context
Boylan challenges the Commission’s priorities, saying that fighting poverty should be treated with the same urgency applied to militarisation. The address frames investment choices as matters of social justice with direct consequences for children, communities and social cohesion.
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Thank you Chair. Tackling poverty is the key to healthy thriving communities, to safe communities, to social cohesion. But failure to combat poverty pits marginalised groups against each other. It prevents children from fulfilling their potential. That means lifelong consequences for them. Fighting poverty requires the same urgency that this Commission applies to its militarisation agenda. 320,000 households in Ireland are in energy arrears. Disconnections continue to rise. Eviction levels are higher than they have been during the famine. People need investment. They need investment in housing. They need investment in energy infrastructure, in cheap renewables. But families should not be made to carry the burden of the transition. So we need public funding and great investment, and it must prioritise households and essential services.
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