Ireland’s European Child Guarantee National Action Plan

In 2019, the European Commission announced the creation of a European Child Guarantee with a view to ensuring that every child in Europe at risk of poverty or social exclusion has access to the most basic of rights like healthcare and education.

The objective of the European Child Guarantee, which was adopted by the Council in June 2021, is to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing the access of children in need to a set of key services:

• Early childhood education and care

• Education (including school-based activities)

• Healthcare

• Nutrition

• Housing

As part of the obligations for Ireland under the Child Guarantee, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has developed a National Action Plan in collaboration with a range of Government Departments.

Government agreed on 31 May 2022 to the publication of the National Action Plan and for its submission to the EU Commission. The publication of the Plan is an important first step in the implementation of the European Child Guarantee.