James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Support for families who require income support to meet basic needs is provided through the social welfare system, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection. A range of income supports is available to parents who are unemployed or on low incomes. The Department of Social Protection also has lead responsibility for the national action plan for social inclusion.

As provided for in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014 - 2020, the Department of Social Protection, under commitment 4.2, has lead responsibility for a national child-specific social target to lift 70,000 children out of consistent poverty by 2020, a reduction of at least two thirds on the 2011 level. This target will include reducing the poverty rate for households with children, which is consistently higher when compared with households without children and for children as compared with adults. It is expected that this commitment will be addressed on a cross-departmental basis.

My Department is working on a number of initiatives which are relevant in addressing issues related to children poverty. It is, for example, leading the implementation of the area based childhood programme, better known as the ABC programme. The programme is being co-funded by Atlantic Philanthropies and will have a total funding allocation of up to €29.7 million. The programme draws on best international practice to break the cycle of child poverty where it is most deeply entrenched and improve the outcomes for children and young people and existing services.

In terms of other provision, my Department is spending €260 million annually on three child care support programmes which provide child care to 100,000 children. A number of these programmes are targeted at those on lowest incomes. My Department also provides funding for targeted support for disadvantaged, marginalised and at-risk young people through three schemes. The three programmes are the special projects for youth scheme, the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund and the local drugs task forces. In addition, national and regional youth work organisations are supported under my Department's youth service grant scheme. In 2014, current funding of €49.78 million has been provided to my Department for these schemes.

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