UTV Podcast: Academic warns how budgets cuts will have lasting impact in Northern Ireland

An academic has warned how devastating cuts to Northern Ireland's public services will last for years.

Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick, a social security researcher and lecturer at the Ulster University, was talking to Carol Jordan for the latest UTV Podcast.

Her comments come after two university research reports found how woman have been forced to skip meals in order to feed their children and that cuts to education will have "catastrophic consequences".

Dr Fitzpatrick said she was motivated to research the reality of living in poverty in the face of political "rhetoric" which often painted people as "scroungers living off the state".

She has spent time volunteering with charities in Belfast to see first hand the experience of those on the front line.

"It is dire," she said, "people are living in houses with no wall or floor coverings. They have no furniture, no money for white goods like cooker or washing machine.

"They are having to rely on others because there is no safety net for them."

She added: "Poverty impacts every area of a person's life. Their mental health, physical health, education, social mobility and our economy in having people carry out the jobs needed.

"The big issue is the cost of food... that is the biggest worry for people."

She said in the face of ever increasing squeezes on budgets through inflation, people were also struggling with losing support through government schemes.

"People are struggling to access basic essentials," she added.

"Theses cuts are going to have such a huge impact and they will take years to undo.

The academic said there was a need to re-examine the Barnett formula - which determines central government funding for devolved nations - so it "better suits" the needs of Northern Ireland society.

"We also have strange situation where we don't have an executive," she said.

"Therefore we see money allocated through Barnett consequentials, so for example for the 30 hours of free childcare there was £230million allocated to increase education provision. That has been allocated here but it has not been ringfenced for eduation or childcare. Instead it has been allocated to service a debt."

"Investing in education, investing in extra curricular youth activities for children particularly in areas of deprivation. It is an investment. We are going to make sure we have a more prosperous peaceful society.

She said more and more the charitable sector was replacing what the "state should do".

"It is so important we stick together and we all get behind our community organisations that have found their own funding cut.

"But actually they are keeping our communities alive, ensuring people don't go hungry or cold but you need to reach out to them."

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