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

At the outset, I would like to be associated with the Ceann Comhairle's comments and wish Deputy McLellan all the very best in future. I am sure that whatever she chooses to do, it will be done with her usual attention to detail and commitment.

At my recent appearance at the review of Ireland by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, I confirmed that the Irish Government acknowledges that dealing with child poverty in Ireland has been a major challenge. We have, however, achieved the following key actions in our response to dealing with child poverty. There is an additional €100 million in social protection measures for families with children, and we maintained the social security safety net by honouring an established commitment to maintain the value of child-related welfare payments at 33% to 35% of the minimum adult welfare rate. Our Pathways to Work strategy is helping to ensure that a high proportion of jobs are being taken up by people who were unemployed, including young people. As the Deputy knows, Ireland’s unemployment rate has fallen from 15.1% to 8.8%. In recognition of the higher risks and lifelong consequences of child poverty, the Government set a child-specific poverty target in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futuresto reduce consistent child poverty by at least two thirds on the 2011 level. This figure currently represents 100,000 children.

Having an ambitious target and actively monitoring this will provide a roadmap from which we can develop and implement a strong multidimensional policy response. The Department of Social Protection has the lead role in co-ordinating Government strategies on child poverty and is the sponsor of outcome four of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, which is economic security and opportunity. It also has lead responsibility for the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion and has identified child poverty as a key cross-sectoral priority to be addressed in 2015 and 2016. There are also a number of areas of focus that support our response to child poverty within my Department. These include €345 million invested annually on early childhood care and education and after-school support programmes that provide care to 100,000 children; the area-based childhood programme of 2013 to 2017, which is co-funded by my Department and Atlantic Philanthropies, amounting to €29.7 million; and €51 million allocated to support the provision of youth services by the voluntary youth sector for 2016. In addition, Tusla delivers a range of services focusing on the welfare, protection and support for children, young people and their families that are key to supporting outcomes that will assist in reducing the impact of child poverty.

Finally, my Department, in collaboration with the Department of Social Protection, will also hold an EU peer review in the next month to explore innovative responses in prevention and early intervention policy and provision to improve outcomes for children, particularly those experiencing child poverty and disadvantage. This event will involve ten member states and the European Commission and a number of key Irish stakeholders. It will contribute to shared learning in ensuring effective responses to address the damaging impact of child poverty.

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