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Child Poverty

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 December 2018

Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Ceisteanna (545)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

545. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current data on child poverty here; the likelihood of achieving the child poverty target; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53696/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The most recent data from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions 2017, published this week, shows that the consistent poverty rate for children in 2017 was 8.8%. This is a reduction on the 2016 figure of 10.9%. The 2017 at-risk-of-poverty rate for children was 18.4%, a slight reduction on the 2016 figure of 19.1% while the deprivation rate was 23.0%, down from 25.0% in 2016. It should be noted that the SILC data from 2012 through to 2016 was revised by the CSO, resulting in some changes to previously published data. However the CSO has stated that the revised estimates are not statistically significantly different from the pre-revision estimates

(https://www.cso.ie/en/statistics/socialconditions/).

The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures), published by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in 2014, includes a target to reduce the number of children in consistent poverty by at least two-thirds of the 2011 level by 2020. In 2011, the consistent poverty rate for children was 9.3%, equating to roughly 107,000 children. By 2014, this had risen significantly to 12% (roughly 143,000 children). The 2017 consistent poverty rate for children was 8.8%, equating to some 105,000 children. Therefore, meeting the 2020 target means lifting almost 68,000 children out of poverty by that date.

Under the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures Framework, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, in collaboration with my Department and other relevant Departments, is taking a whole-of-government approach to tackling child poverty. This approach acknowledges that reducing child poverty is not just about income supports and welfare. Rather it is also about supporting parents to make the transition into employment and assisting families through the provision of quality affordable services in areas such as education, health, housing and childcare.

Budget 2019, in line with budgets over the past 3 years, included measures specifically aimed at supporting families on low incomes through increases in qualified child rates (including the introduction of a higher rate for children over 12 years of age), increases in earnings disregards for One Parent Family and Jobseeker Transition payments, an increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and the introduction of a hot meals pilot in the School Meals programme.

These increased supports along with increasing employment rates suggest that we can expect further decreases in the poverty rates once the 2018 figures become available.

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