Reducing child poverty remains key focus of Government
- Published on: 12 February 2025
- Last updated on: 13 February 2025
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has published two reports by the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office in his department.
The First Progress Report of the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office details the progress made by Government since the establishment of the Programme Office in the Department of the Taoiseach in 2023.
It provides a cross-government update on the national response to child poverty and draws out key learnings and future priorities. The report reveals the very significant progress that has been made but also points to key challenges which must be overcome to realise the Programme for Government commitment to lift more children out of poverty. The report also highlights some implementation challenges. They include how best to deliver co-ordinated responses for children and families with complex needs, as well as workforce issues such as the pipeline for key professionals. It also brings a focus to ensuring targeted supports effectively meet the needs of the most vulnerable children and families.
Breaking the Cycle: New Measures in Budget 2025 to Address Child Poverty and Promote Well-being is the second report. It describes the steps that will be taken through Budget 2025 to realise Government’s goal of reducing child poverty. This is the second cross-government report analysing increases in expenditure on child poverty measures in the Budget. Budget 2025 progress includes the largest ever single increase to the Child Support Payment, a payment which reaches families on the lowest incomes. Budget 2025 also extended the Free Schoolbooks Scheme to all post-primary students in the free education scheme, extended the School Meals Programme to all remaining primary schools, and provided additional funding for the Equal Start Programme (targeted supports in early learning and care settings for disadvantaged children).
Publishing the two reports, the Taoiseach said:
"I am encouraged by the genuinely enhanced cross-government focus on addressing child poverty. The rate of consistent poverty for children is the lowest it has ever been, but there is still more work ahead. We’ve seen the successful rollout of initiatives such as the free schoolbooks scheme and hot school meals, as well as an increase to the Child Support Payment, but I am determined that we can and will do more.
"This is critical not only for children, families and communities today, but also for society if we want to be able to rise to the challenges of tomorrow.
"The Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office will continue its work in the Department of the Taoiseach to bring focus across Government to improving the lives of disadvantaged children. Today, I am delighted to publish these two reports. Taken together, they illustrate both what has been achieved thus far and provide a future direction for this new government."
Minister for Education Helen McEntee said:
"Budget 2025 saw the largest Education budget in the history of the State and reflects the government’s commitment to a quality inclusive school system and improved learning outcomes. I want to ensure that every child and student is supported to achieve their full potential.
"Key to achieving this will be the extension of the free schoolbooks scheme to students in transition and senior cycle years; additional funding to tackle educational disadvantage, and the roll-out of the Traveller and Roma Education Strategy; an increase in capitation funding to assist schools with their day-to-day running costs and to reduce the reliance on financial contributions from parents; continuation of the Summer Programme, which benefits some of the most vulnerable children in our society; and a continuation of the reduced school transport fees for families."
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley said:
"This government is committed to reducing child poverty, enhancing child well-being and boosting their opportunities in life. The Department of Children has a key role to play in this regard. Some flagship initiatives include the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) which supports over 7,000 children with disabilities in their participation in pre-school.
"The new Equal Start programme is also focused on levelling the pitch by delivering equality of access and opportunity, particularly for children at risk of disadvantage. This government is committed to expanding the network of Family Resource Centres, which are dedicated to providing services which support children, young people and their families."
Notes
These reports are available on the Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office website.
In Spring 2023, the Taoiseach established a Child Poverty Unit in the Department of the Taoiseach. On 1 August, the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office published its initial work programme for the next two and a half years, From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child Poverty and Well-being 2023-2025.
The initial Programme focuses on six areas that will have the greatest impact on the lives of children who experience poverty. These six areas are:
1) Income supports and joblessness
2) Early learning and childcare
3) Reducing the cost of education
4) Family homelessness
5) Consolidating and integrating family and parental support, health and well-being
6) Enhancing participation in culture, arts and sport for children and young people affected by poverty
The role of the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office is to drive implementation of a broad range of commitments that will impact on these six areas. The Office also undertakes a small number of strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of cross-government responses to child poverty. This includes supporting a specific focus on child poverty at Budget time.
Following Budget 2024, the Programme Office published, Breaking the Cycle: New Measures in Budget 2024 to Reduce Child Poverty and Promote Well-being.