Children's ombudsman: 'Stop making excuses — end child homelessness'  

The latest homeless figures from the Department of Housing showed that at the end of August, there were 4,419 children in emergency accommodation.

The Government must stop making excuses and make measures to tackle child homelessness a priority, the Ombudsman for Children has said.

Niall Muldoon made the remarks in an analysis of the budget, which was unveiled last week. 

It also comes just a fortnight after the latest homeless figures from the Department of Housing showed that at the end of August, there were 4,419 children in emergency accommodation. The children were in 2,099 families, of which more than half were headed by lone parents.

Last week’s budget did not include any new measures to tackle the crisis of child homelessness, according to Dr Muldoon.

With a general election due shortly, he said: “It’s time to stop making excuses — ending child homelessness must be a commitment in the next programme for government.” 

Dr Muldoon welcomed the rollout of hot school meals, free school books, a new initiative to address food poverty during school breaks, and the €10m earmarked to tackle educational disadvantage.

The increase in payments to the poorest children are welcome but inadequate and as the ESRI points out, the cost of the one-off double child benefit payments and energy credits could have lifted 40,000 children out of poverty if resources were better targeted.

He also called on the Government to tackle funding for children in direct provision, where high rates of deprivation are being experienced.

A payment of €29.80 is received weekly by children in international protection. In Budget 2024, €4.7m was announced for a payment to children in international protection, which the Government said would be worth €140 per child per month and would be paid for 2,800 children.

In last week’s budget announcement, an allocation of €8.4m for the international protection child payment in 2025 for 5,000 eligible children was included.

While welcoming the allocation, Mr Muldoon said: “The funding announced for a payment for children in international protection is welcome, however, it was already committed to in Budget 2024 but never put in place.

“This must be actioned without delay to address high rates of deprivation experienced by children in direct provision.” 

Dr Muldoon said the allocation of €2.6m for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) “is a drop in the ocean with the huge numbers of children who need access”.

“In the coming weeks we will be engaging with the Oireachtas to ensure the Mental Health Bill is passed with sufficient safeguards for children and that Camhs is regulated without delay.”