--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For too long, Ireland has neglected its…" description: "\"For too long, Ireland has neglected its children.\" — Enda Kenny" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/enda-kenny-11375_children_for-too-long-ireland-has-neglected-its-c_3096824.jpg" --- # For too long, Ireland has neglected its children. ![“For too long, Ireland has neglected its children.” quote by Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/enda-kenny-11375_children_for-too-long-ireland-has-neglected-its-c_3096824.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/enda-kenny-11375_children_for-too-long-ireland-has-neglected-its-c_3096824.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6be/enda-kenny-11375_children_for-too-long-ireland-has-neglected-its-c_3096824.jpg) > “For too long, Ireland has neglected its children.” [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ireland has ignored children's needs for too long, causing societal harm. **In simple terms:** Ireland has ignored children. Key Takeaway Prioritize child welfare now. Themes education policy child welfare societal health Mood concerned urgent Type political advocacy When to use this quote - school funding - health services - family support - community programs Key Concepts public policy intergenerational equity Questions to Reflect On - What policies could better protect children? - How can communities hold leaders accountable? A Different Perspective Addressing child neglect requires systemic change, not just rhetoric. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ireland/) ## Related quotes > [“NEED SHAME BINDS When these needs are neglected, children are given the message that their needs are not important, and they lose a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/need-shame-binds-when-these-needs-are-neglected-children-are-given/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [The rules of parenting have changed. By the modern definition, we were a generation of neglected children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/the-rules-of-parenting-have-changed-by-the-modern-definition-we-were/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [We have for a long time neglected our children. They are our richest treasure. We must give them time, attention and the love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-vaswani/we-have-for-a-long-time-neglected-our-children-they-are-our-richest/) [Dada Vaswani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-vaswani/) > [Abused And neglected children have paid the price for liberalism's tendency to sentimentalize the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/abused-and-neglected-children-have-paid-the-price-for-liberalism-s/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [We need to work together towards a mutually beneficial solution for Ireland, the U.K., and for Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/we-need-to-work-together-towards-a-mutually-beneficial-solution-for/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [Failure to curb temperature increases will impact all countries, Ireland included, but with the most immediate and drastic effects being felt, in many instances,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/failure-to-curb-temperature-increases-will-impact-all-countries/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [We thought that, perhaps," said I, hesitating, "it is right to begin with the obligations of home, sir; and that, perhaps, while those are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/we-thought-that-perhaps-said-i-hesitating-it-is-right-to-begin-with/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There is all the difference in the world between the criminal's avoiding the public eye and the civil disobedience's taking the law into his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/there-is-all-the-difference-in-the-world-between-the-criminal-s/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [I wouldn't say they're neglected, but everybody is going to grow old and we should be looking after the older generation more than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hansen/i-wouldn-t-say-they-re-neglected-but-everybody-is-going-to-grow-old/) [Alan Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hansen/) > [Most of the people I know who were raised to be accommodating or were raised to just be nice and put everybody's needs ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/most-of-the-people-i-know-who-were-raised-to-be-accommodating-or-were/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Time is never more misspent than while we declaim against the want of it; all our actions are then tinctured with peevishness. The yoke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/time-is-never-more-misspent-than-while-we-declaim-against-the-want-of/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [John Lane has long been recognized as one of the South's finest poets and memoirists. This debut establishes him as one of our finest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-rash/john-lane-has-long-been-recognized-as-one-of-the-south-s-finest-poets/) [Ron Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-rash/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) > [You may miss the feeling of being Taken, but do you miss being disrespected & neglected? It's def not worth it if the bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-may-miss-the-feeling-of-being-taken-but-do-you-miss-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) ## More by Enda Kenny > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [Public confidence in, and support for, the euro - and, indeed, the European Union - will ultimately be determined by how well we deliver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/public-confidence-in-and-support-for-the-euro-and-indeed-the-european/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [It is the young people in whom I place my confidence because of their competence, because of their enthusiasm, because of their capacity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/it-is-the-young-people-in-whom-i-place-my-confidence-because-of-their/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [The world has changed utterly. There was a time when you couldn't marry a Protestant. There was a time when you got married that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/the-world-has-changed-utterly-there-was-a-time-when-you-couldn-t/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [As leader of the Fine Gael Party, I will also use our position in the European People's Party to clearly state our views with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/as-leader-of-the-fine-gael-party-i-will-also-use-our-position-in-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [Building on our strong track record of supporting developing countries, including in areas like climate justice, human rights, gender and education, Ireland recognises that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/building-on-our-strong-track-record-of-supporting-developing/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [Failure to curb temperature increases will impact all countries, Ireland included, but with the most immediate and drastic effects being felt, in many instances,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/failure-to-curb-temperature-increases-will-impact-all-countries/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [My genuine belief is that if we can get through the eurozone crisis from a political point of view, we've got a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/my-genuine-belief-is-that-if-we-can-get-through-the-eurozone-crisis/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [Rather than just saying, like, 'Your economy is the be all and end all,' I go back to my three roots that I've often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/rather-than-just-saying-like-your-economy-is-the-be-all-and-end-all-i/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [Our priority will be to look after the interests of our own country and its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/our-priority-will-be-to-look-after-the-interests-of-our-own-country/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [For years, Ireland used to have a philosophy of 'Get them in here to invest and develop in Ireland, and this will sort out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/for-years-ireland-used-to-have-a-philosophy-of-get-them-in-here-to/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [There will be no hard border from Dundalk to Derry in the context of it being a European border, and by that I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/there-will-be-no-hard-border-from-dundalk-to-derry-in-the-context-of/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [The E.U. needs renewal, and we need a strong U.K. at the table to help to drive the reform agenda that can help the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/the-e-u-needs-renewal-and-we-need-a-strong-u-k-at-the-table-to-help/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [To me, the real opinion polls are the tangible facts: the growing creation of jobs, the number of planning permissions, the number of commercial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/to-me-the-real-opinion-polls-are-the-tangible-facts-the-growing/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [Irish people are pragmatic. They understand that nobody is going to fix our problems but ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-people-are-pragmatic-they-understand-that-nobody-is-going-to/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) [Explore all 60 Enda Kenny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? 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