Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

May I begin by congratulating our Leas-Chathaoirleach on her election? I thank the witnesses for coming in and for their detailed opening statement. In relation to child poverty, income support is really important. While there has been a lot of talk about child benefit, I believe that in a lot of cases the mechanism is already there. Rather than going through the long child benefit process, we use the qualified child increase, which is a targeted measure. It is targeted at children in vulnerable households. We use that and the working family payment, which is essentially a top-up to people who are in low-income employment. I would like to get the witnesses' views on the use of those two targeted measures to get to the most vulnerable children.

When I come to child poverty, I always raise the issue of children in one-parent families. We know that the rate of consistent poverty, the at-risk-of-poverty rate and the deprivation rate are always higher among children in one-parent families.

I have advocated for a long time in respect of child maintenance. I published policies three times on the establishment of a maintenance service similar to that in place in the North of Ireland. At the moment, one parent can go to court and a court order may be made but it does not mean it is followed. I worked with the previous Minister, Heather Humphreys, on the removal of the means test from child maintenance. It was an important step. I would like the views of the witnesses on how we go further for children in one-parent families, because all the research shows that where maintenance is paid it can assist in lifting children out of poverty.

Reference was made to the significant spike in consistent poverty. This is a major issue of concern. Are there measures the witnesses believe could be taken quickly that would have an impact on the figures?

The special care report made for frightening reading. It was almost like a cry for help from Tusla. I read into it that the other State agencies are not at the table and are not doing as much as they should be. Children are going into special care places, the number of which is limited, who have either addiction or mental health issues, yet there are no supports for them. We are putting them in a place where they cannot get the support they need, which makes the situation worse. The report and its recommendations are very important. We will have the CEO of Tusla in shortly and we will raise those issues with her as well.