Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 December 2020
44. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made in reaching the 2020 target to reduce by 66% from 2011 levels the number of children in consistent poverty as outlined in Better Outcomes Brighter Futures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40083/20]
View answerThe rate of children experiencing consistent poverty reduced from a peak of 11.7% in 2013 to a low of 7.7% in 2018. However, recent data from the Central Statistics Office shows that, regrettably, this rate increased to 8.1% in 2019 which equates to some 97,500 children. It is unacceptable that so many of the children in our society continue to experience consistent poverty. The child-specific poverty target under the "Brighter Outcomes Better Futures" Framework is to lift over 70,000 children (aged 0-17 years) out of consistent poverty by 2020, a reduction of at least two-thirds on the 2011 level (107,000 children). It is clear that, as we are now towards the end of 2020, this target will unfortunately not be reached.
However, by 2013, the number of children in consistent poverty had actually risen to 150,000 children. This means that the number of children in consistent poverty has actually decreased by almost 60,000 between 2013 and 2018 - which represents some progress. The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 – 2025 published in January contains a target based on an EU measure of child poverty. It is based on the “at risk of poverty or social exclusion” (AROPE) measure. Under this target Ireland is working towards improving its rating amongst EU Member States from 20th to 5th. Based on the 2018 AROPE rates for all EU Member States, this requires Ireland to reduce its AROPE rate for children under 18 years of age to 16%. In the recent Budget, I provided for a number of measures specifically targeted at low income families and which aim to help alleviate child poverty. Specifically, the rates of qualified child will increase by €2 per week to €38 for children under 12 and by €5 per week to €45 in respect of children over 12. The other measures are a €10 increase in the weekly income threshold for Working Family Payment for families with up to three children, and the removal of the €425 weekly earnings limit associated with the One-Parent Family payment. It is important to emphasise, however, that alleviating child poverty cannot be achieved through income supports alone. This issue requires a whole of Government approach across a number of Departments, including my own, which combines adequate income supports with access to services such as housing, health and childcare.
