Over 5% Of Children In Ireland Living In Abject Poverty, With A Further 160,000 At Risk

According to the Children's Rights Alliance's, children and young people being pulled into poverty at rate higher than general population.

Just over five percent of children in Ireland are living in abject poverty,with a further 160,000 at risk of poverty, according to the Children's Rights Alliance, which launched its annual child poverty monitor today.

It shows thousands are going without basic essentials, spending whole days in hotel rooms and trying to put a brave face on in front of friends.

The report found that the Government needs to raise the Qualified Child Increase by a minimum of €7 for the under 12s and a minimum of €12 for over 12s, with an increase core social welfare rates by a minimum of €20 for all households with children.

The positive impact the Hot School Meals Programme is crystal clear when we listen to the schools currently running it, the report states,Government needs to extend the Hot School Meals Programme nationally.

To address the issue of holiday hunger, Government needs to fund and develop a pilot initiative for the expansion of school meals during holiday time by leveraging existing community infrastructure and relationships between schools and summer camps.

The Children's Rights Alliance found that  that back to school costs were an immediate concern for many families, and while it welcomed the recently announced increase in the Back to School allowance, it was adamant that it should be retained in 2022 and increased in 2023 in line with inflation.

Children in one parent families are more than four times more at risk of consistent poverty than children in two parent families, the report found. 

It recommends, to ensure equality between different household types and to increase the income of one parent families in work, to reduce the Working Family Payment weekly work threshold from 19 hours to 15 hours for one parent families.

The report found Childcare to be a pressing issue, in advance of the new funding model it recommended that the Government provide free access to childcare for families on the lowest incomes, by providing higher levels of subsidisation under the National Childcare Scheme for all families in receipt of the Medical Card.

Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children's Rights Alliance has said the public needs to hear the scale of the problem.

“Affordable childcare. Waiting lists. Homelessness. School costs. While these issues are on the tip of everyone’s tongues, we are asking, are they top of mind for our political leaders?

"The Child Poverty Monitor and its findings come at a pivotal point.

"As politicians debate how best to navigate the cost of living crisis, there is a rising tide of child poverty we cannot deny. What does this cost a child? Their education. Their aspirations. Their wellbeing. Will they ever reach their full potential?

"The ESRI warned early on that the pandemic could cause a rise in child poverty.

"Our Child Poverty Monitor analysis shows that the issues for children and young people are indeed starting to worsen– growing waiting lists for key health services and mental health supports; barriers to access education; increased need for social housing.

"The cost of heating your home or your weekly food shop are all rising. The trends are going in the wrong direction, the Government’s response cannot," she added.

Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children's Rights Alliance spoke with Ciara Noble on Wednesday afternoon's Kildare Focus, listen back to the full interview here: