More than a fifth of children experienced deprivation in 2023

At the launch of the Children's Rights Alliance's third Child Poverty Monitor were Julie Ahern, director of legal policy and services at Children's Rights Alliance; Elizabeth Canavan, assistant secretary general, Social Policy and Public Service Reform Division, Department of the Taoiseach; Denise Charlton, chief executive, Community Foundation Ireland; Tanya Ward, CEO, Children's Rights Alliance; Sinead Smith, CEO, Meath Women's Refuge and Support Services; Grainne McKenna, assistant professor, Dublin City University, Institute of Education; Naomi Feely, senior research and policy manager, Children's Rights Alliance, and Gillian Brien, director, Swan Youth Service. Picture: Julien Behal

Children are coming to youth centres after school for food and a warm space to do homework but one centre has such a low budget that it stretches €10 to feed 30 children, an event marking the launch of the Child Poverty Monitor has been told.

The report found more than 20% or 260,773 children in Ireland experienced deprivation last year.