Budget to help low-income families and tackle child poverty, says Taoiseach

The latest figures show that there are 185,000 children (15.2%) living in households that were at risk of poverty. File picture

Low-income families are to receive enhanced financial supports and the cost of childcare will be reduced in the upcoming Budget, the Taoiseach has promised.

Leo Varadkar has said he is "very serious" about tackling child poverty and this will require a combination of additional financial support and improved services.

“Ending child poverty is a core ambition of this Government. This is important not only because we want every child to be happy and well-cared for, but also because happy childhoods are the foundation for realising broader economic, environmental, and social goals," Mr Varadkar said.

Launching the first plan for the Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office that he set up when he became Taoiseach in December, Mr Varadkar said six areas will be prioritized in the coming years, starting with Budget 2024.

"The first of the six areas that we're going to focus on is on family incomes," said Mr Varadkar, who indicated that the working family payment and the qualified child (IQC) allowance will both increase.

"Another area which is very important is making sure the work pays; that where people are in work, particularly are in low-paid work, that they get a decent wage, get decent income and the move to the living wage is a big part of that."

Last year, the Government introduced cuts of up to 25% in creche fees to support working parents and a further reduction is now expected as part of October's Budget. Mr Varadkar said reducing the cost of childcare and ensuring early childhood education is of good quality is "really important".

Child poverty

"The annual Budget is a critical moment in which Government articulates its ambition for the coming year. Given the Government’s commitment to reducing child poverty, I will make sure that the Budget reflects our ambitions for children.”

He added: "It's about making sure that every child gets a good start in life in Ireland and the vast majority children do, but many don't. If these problems didn't exist, and if they weren't real, I wouldn't be prioritising them and we are going to prioritise them."

The latest figures show that there are 185,000 children (15.2%) living in households that were at risk of poverty. Of these 92,000 children (7.5%) live in households where income was below this level and where there was also enforced deprivation, meaning that these households have to go without some basic items because they cannot afford them.

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The two-year strategy will focus on making sure that every child and their family has access to the income they need. Early learning and care will also be prioritised along with reducing the cost of education.

The report states that for families living in poverty, meeting the cost of education for children in both primary and post-primary settings remains challenging with the expense of schoolbooks, the pressure on parents to make voluntary contributions, and the challenge for children to engage in education who are suffering from food poverty at home all raised as issues.

The Government has also promised to focus on the prevention and mitigation of family homelessness as well as the pathways to accessing services.

Access to play

Finally, the strategy states that play is essential to children’s development and well-being, and sporting and cultural activities have a crucial role in children’s well-being. However, access is often tied to parental income.

The Government has pledged to develop playgrounds and sports facilities in areas which experience socio-economic deprivation and to roll out arts and culture programmes for children who are not usually exposed to such opportunities.