Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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125. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the establishment of a child poverty unit in his Department. [29727/23]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In Spring 2023, a Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office was established in the Department of the Taoiseach.

Government decided that the Programme Office will focus on six priority areas. These are:

1. Income assistance and joblessness

2. Early learning and childcare

3. Reducing the cost of education

4. Family homelessness

5. Consolidating and integrating public health, family & parental assistance, and well-being services

6. Enhancing participation in culture, arts and sport for children and young people affected by poverty.

These were selected because they are areas of intervention that have the potential to bring about significant change for children and families living in poverty.

The Government’s vision is to make Ireland the best country in Europe to be a child. This is important because we want every child to be happy and well-cared for, but also because happy childhoods are the foundation of realising broader economic, environmental and social goals.

The role of the Department of the Taoiseach is to co-ordinate and focus Government action. In line with this, the purpose of the Child Poverty and Well-being Programme Office is twofold:

1. Monitor the delivery of specified policy commitments by Departments and/or Agencies, to drive implementation and policy coherence.

2. Undertake a small number of strategic initiatives which have the potential to increase the impact of current and emerging measures to fight child poverty and support child well-being.

As of last week, the Programme Office is now fully staffed and is currently working on a multi-annual programme plan.