Govt tolerating 'unacceptable levels of child poverty' - report

A new report from the Children's Ombudsman said the Government is tolerating unacceptable levels of child poverty, standing over discrimination in schools and failing to protect children.

According to the Irish Times, the report has been compiled for the UN's Committee on the Rights of the Child ahead of its examination of Ireland next year.

The document being published today finds that, since Ireland was last before the committee, the proportion of children living in consistent poverty has almost doubled to 11.7%, representing 138,000 children.

The report is critical of a government target to reduce the figure to 37,000 by 2020, calling it "unacceptably high".