Latest news with #ChildrensRightsAlliance
Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Child-related benefits lift 150,000 children out of poverty, ESRI finds
Child-related social benefits have lifted more than 150,000 children out of poverty in Ireland , according to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) . It found Ireland's current system of offering child-related cash and in-kind benefits had reduced child poverty and deprivation, bringing an estimated 157,000 children out of income poverty and 94,000 out of consistent poverty. The study, published on Wednesday, is part of the ESRI's Budget Perspectives 2026 series. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), consistent poverty is defined as that applying to individuals who are at risk of poverty – meaning they have a low household income – and experience enforced deprivation. READ MORE The figures come shortly after the Children's Rights Alliance revealed the number of children in consistent poverty rose by 45,000 to more than 103,000 in 2024. Last week, a separate longitudinal survey of children in Ireland aged between 10 and 17 found 18.3 per cent were going to school or bed hungry because there was not enough food at home. Cash benefits such as Child Benefit and Working Families Payment are considered by the study, as well as in-kind benefits such as National Childcare Scheme subsidies and free schoolbooks and meals. Taking all of these into account, the simulated child consistent poverty rate was found to be 5.6 per cent. In the absence of such supports, however, the child consistent poverty rate would be 8 per cent higher, at 13.6 per cent. The predicted child At Risk of Poverty (AROP) rate for 2025 is 13.9 per cent, or about 165,000 children. In the absence of cash benefits, that would be 10 per cent higher, while an absence of in-kind benefits – such as free preschool and school meals – would increase the AROP rate by 1.5 per cent. ESRI associate research professor Karina Doorley, one of the report's authors, said child-related benefits were 'a powerful tool' in reducing poverty. 'Well-targeted reforms to the system of child-related benefits could further improve outcomes for children and families currently experiencing poverty. A second tier of child benefit could be a key part of that solution,' she said. The ESRI's proposed second tier of means-tested child benefit would reduce the child AROP rate by 4.6 percentage points (lifting 55,000 children out of income poverty) and consistent poverty by 2.1 percentage points (lifting 25,000 children out of consistent poverty), it said. It suggested this as the 'most cost-effective option' for targeting child poverty rates, at an annual cost of approximately €772 million.
BreakingNews.ie
2 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Over 100,000 children living in poverty across Ireland
Over 100,000 children in Ireland are now living in consistent poverty, a number that has risen by 45,000 in just one year. Spiralling rents and high prices are being cited as the main reasons. The Child Poverty Monitor from the Children's Rights Alliance found a scarcity of housing has led thousands of families into homelessness, with countless more living on top of each other in seriously cramped and inappropriate conditions. Speaking about the report, Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children's Rights Alliance said: 'A childhood in poverty is one spent in cold, dark and damp housing, travelling hours just to get to school or knowing that there will not be a hot dinner for the rest of the week. Advertisement "Thousands of families are being forced to live on such tight margins that they live in constant fear of their child needing a hospital visit or getting a letter home about the next school trip.' 'What is deeply concerning is the number of children in consistent poverty - who are living in these conditions perpetually–which rose by a staggering 45,107 in 2024 to 102,977. "These are children for whom a decent standard of living and aspirations of a better future diminish day by day. This poverty is not inevitable. Policy decisions and budget investments determine the fate of these children and young people.' She said there is plenty of progress to report in 2025. Free school books, hot school meals and free GP care for children under eight are now guaranteed supports that all children benefit from, but particularly those experiencing poverty. Advertisement Universal measures have advanced, many quicker than expected such as the historic billion-euro investments in childcare. These have come at the expense of the targeted measures and strategic investment that are critical to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty our children are inheriting. Budget 2026 has to focus on breaking the cycle. In terms of housing she said we only need to look at last month's figures that show an additional 100 children made homeless to know that the current policy is not working and inflicting untold trauma on the now 4,775 children without a home to call their own. "The rise in homeless figures is nothing new. Advertisement "We have seen a year on a year increase every time we publish the Child Poverty Monitor. The combination of rising rents (latest average reaching over €2,000 a month nationally) and a scarcity of supply has resulted in thousands of families being made homeless but also, countless more living on top of each other or in seriously cramped and inappropriate conditions,' Tanya Ward said. 'Overcrowding is a major issue for children living on the lowest incomes. Almost one in four children at risk of poverty are growing up in overcrowded households, completely unsuitable to meet their needs or their families. "While the trend is more common across Europe, the rate of overcrowding for children has effectively doubled in Ireland from 2021 to 2024, and we are only scratching the surface on what impact these conditions are having on children. Child protection services "From ESRI research, we know that this can have detrimental impacts such as poorer wellbeing, greater conflict and disrupted family relationships and a knock-on effect on educational outcomes. We are also likely to see increases in the number of children referred to Tusla. The Government needs to look at the impact of overcrowding on children and young people.' Advertisement She said without access to critical child protection and welfare services and family support in their community, families are pushed further to breaking point. Referrals to Tusla have increased by 70 per cent since 2019. The Daniel McAnaspie Inquest called for a review of child protection and welfare services to ensure that Tusla has sufficient resourcing to keep children safe. 'Last year's budget allocation to Tusla was mostly to maintain existing levels of care, failing to acknowledge the spike in referrals and the increased complexity of cases. Budget 2026 cannot leave these children behind. We are calling for direct investment of €50 million to ensure our core child protection and welfare services are supported to help children most vulnerable in society," she said. Ms Ward said poverty and income are inextricably linked. As rent and the cost of living eat away at available income, families are left without enough money in their pockets, going to extraordinary lengths and debts just to get through the week. Advertisement "Positively, Budget 2025 acknowledged the higher cost of older children by raising the Child Support Payment, but the incremental increases of a few euro are barely enough to buy the bottle of milk and shampoo that week," "This targeted income support is designed to help children in families already relying on social welfare to level the playing field. The cumulative impact of continued rising costs has created a landslide effect for low-income families, meaning ensuring the very basic necessities such as nutritious food or keeping your home warm become increasingly difficult," she said. She said the single most effective action the Government can take in breaking the intergenerational cycle of child poverty is to invest in children in their early years. Infants and small children living in poverty need wraparound early years support. The Government has taken the first step in addressing these issues through the development of Equal Start that aims to deliver universal and targeted supports to families and early years settings grappling with the impact of poverty and social exclusion.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Number of children in consistent poverty rises by `staggering' 45,000, report shows
The number of children in consistent poverty rose by a 'staggering' 45,000 to more than 103,000 last year, a report published on Tuesday says. The Child Poverty Monitor, published annually since 2020 by the Children's Rights Alliance, says the increase is 'deeply concerning' and comes despite major economic growth in 2024. It says: 'These are children for whom a decent standard of living and aspirations of a better future diminish day by day. This poverty is not inevitable. Policy decisions and budget investments determine the fate of these children and young people.' Consistent poverty means living in a household with an income less than 60 per cent of the median (€16,558 for a single person in 2023) and also unable to afford two of more basics like a second pair of sturdy shoes or to live in a warm home. READ MORE Oh housing, the report says constantly increasing homelessness figures – the latest for April showing there were 4,775 children in emergency accommodation – shows 'current policy is not working' and is 'inflicting untold trauma' on children. Thousands of children, though not homeless, live in overcrowded conditions. Overcrowding has effectively doubled in Ireland from 2021 to 2024, says the report. It calls for a Government examination of the impact of overcrowding on children and young people. The report notes referrals to Tusla increased by 70 per cent since 2019. 'Last year's budget allocation to Tusla was mostly to maintain existing levels of care, failing to acknowledge the spike in referrals and the increased complexity of cases. Budget 2026 cannot leave these children behind,' it says. 'We are calling for direct investment of €50 million to ensure our core child protection and welfare services are supported to help children most vulnerable in society.' On income adequacy, it says: 'The cumulative impact of continued rising costs has created a landslide effect for low-income families, meaning ensuring the very basic necessities, such as nutritious food or keeping your home warm become increasingly difficult. 'It is critical that [the Child Support Payment – a welfare payment to families dependent on social welfare in respect of each child] is increased adequately in Budget 2026, and that investment is sustained across subsequent budgets under this Government.' The report says funding for the Early Start programme, which aims to deliver universal and targeted supports to families in poverty with babies and toddlers, should be 'significantly scaled up in Budget 2026'. While welcoming a commitment to introduce a Deis-plus category for schools in the most acutely deprived areas, the monitor notes not all children in poverty attend Deis schools – missing the enhanced supports provided. Deis (Delivering Equality of opportunity In Schools) schools receive enhanced supports, allowing for smaller class sizes, additional literacy and numeracy supports and programmes to encourage optimum attendance and retention. 'We need to see the introduction of a dedicated fund for non-Deis schools so they can respond and support their students dealing with adverse childhood experiences,' says the alliance.
