Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

I thank the witnesses for coming in. How many children in Ireland are in poverty now? How many children would a second tier of child benefit lift out of poverty? What are some examples of in-kind child benefits mentioned in the report and how do they contribute to reducing child poverty? Why do the authors suggest that tracking at-risk-of-poverty rates based on household income, including in-kind benefits, could be beneficial? What long-term effects are associated with childhood poverty, as highlighted by the ESRI?