Child poverty levels
The Deputy criticises the Government’s failure to reduce child poverty, while the Minister cites falling rates and increased child support payments but acknowledges progress is too slow.
How many children experiencing poverty is too many for this Government? The Taoiseach and Tánaiste have both said child poverty is a priority for the Government. Everything seems to be a priority for this Government, but outcomes are not improving and we see that justified in the Children's Rights Alliance report this week, which told us that one in 12 children is experiencing poverty in this country. The Minister will tell me about school meals or he might talk about school books as if they are silver bullets. We know they are not. What families need is income equality. We have been told, through the rumour mill, that a second tier of child benefit is in the mix. Can the Minister confirm if this is still in the mix for budget 2027? Families also need access to quality public services, such as childcare that is affordable, diagnoses, assessments and therapeutic services. Is one in 12 children experiencing poverty too many or is it one in ten or one in eight? What is the acceptable level of child poverty in this country?
Comment on this
No one in this House, in any political party or none, wants to see any child in poverty or deems it acceptable, might I add, that any child would be in poverty. That is why we are doing everything we can as a Government to ensure we are assisting. Let me demonstrate some of the facts. First, regarding the target, in figures produced by the CSO, we have reduced child poverty from 8.5% in 2024 to 7.8%. That is too slow, but it is progress. Our child poverty unit is doing a huge amount of work. In budget 2026, we increased the under 12s child support payment by 16% and the over 12s payment by 25%. We increased the income disregard for one-parent families and increased the fuel allowance. We provided hot school meals and free school books to support families who are under pressure. We had a €320 million package in budget 2026, specifically to address child poverty. That is the policy the Government has embarked upon. We have a child poverty unit to try to ensure children get access to care and the therapies they need, as well as being supported in their family unit to ensure, in every way possible, that we are reducing child poverty. I have no doubt this is something that drives everyone in this House every single day.