Press release
Taoiseach welcomes decrease in consistent poverty among children
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has commented on the findings of the 2023 Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), which is the official source of poverty statistics for Ireland.
Published this week by the CSO, the findings show an overall decrease in consistent poverty, from 4.9% in SILC 2022 to 3.6% in SILC 2023.
The Taoiseach said:
“It is encouraging to see progress made in reducing poverty rates, and particularly the decrease in the consistent poverty rate for children, which fell to 4.8% in SILC 2023 compared to the previous year. Based on Census 2022 figures, that means approximately 27,000 fewer children were living in consistent poverty last year. While much more needs to be done, this is very welcome.
“It is also encouraging to see that the cost of living measures in previous Budgets have had a positive impact on child poverty rates. Without these measures, the at-risk-of-poverty rate for children would have risen to 16%, but instead it fell to 14.3%. Still too high, but going in the right direction. These figures do not take into account the value of services for children like free school books, school meals, cheaper childcare and more GP visit cards. This is a limitation as improvements in these areas have saved families a lot of money.
“Poverty undermines childhoods and steals futures. It motivated me to establish a Programme Office on Child Poverty in the Department of the Taoiseach, and to make child poverty a principle focus of this government. I want Ireland to be the best country in Europe to be a child.”
The Taoiseach noted that the deprivation rate had increased slightly from 16.6% in 2022 to 17.3% in 2023, but he welcomed the decrease in the deprivation and consistent poverty rates for lone parent households, given these households are disproportionately at risk of poverty.
The Taoiseach said:
“We will examine closely the drivers of deprivation, particularly for those most vulnerable groups, when considering future measures to reduce poverty. The establishment of a new child poverty target shortly by the Minister for Social Protection will guide this work.”
The Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) data relates to income for 2022 and does not take account of any Budget 2023 measures paid in 2023 including the 2023 Cost of Living measures, or any Budget 2024 measures, which have been the largest social protection budgets in the history of the State.