Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I hope the Taoiseach and his colleagues, rather than answering individual questions, will make a comprehensive statement on these matters.

The levels of child poverty in the State are absolutely unacceptable. We have seen the worsening situation for workers and families laid bare in a report by Barnardos, published this morning. The Taoiseach is probably familiar with its key findings. One in ten parents have used a food bank over the past year. That is double the rate for last year. One in five parents have not had enough food at some point to feed the children. Twenty-nine percent of parents are skipping meals so their children have enough to eat. This is Ireland in 2023, on the Taoiseach's watch. Families were already saddled with out-of-control rents, heating bills and so on. Child poverty, food poverty and wider poverty can be resolved but only if there is political resolve to do so. This is an issue that impacts not only families in receipt of social welfare but also families with one or both parents working. What package will the Taoiseach consider to include a living wage?

We need a spring bonus for social welfare recipients.

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