Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I want to talk about children in direct provision. In February 2021, the Government published a White Paper to end direct provision and to establish a new international protection support service. The White Paper included a commitment to introduce an additional monthly payment per child for a child in international protection. However, here we are, more than three years later and the payments have still not been made. The Government committed €4.7 million under budget 2024 to develop a payment to children in international protection.

The payment would have been worth €1.40 per month per child. The Government said that this commitment was important to help reduce the very high rate of poverty this group of children experienced. No one would disagree with that. However, as we come to the end of the year and, frankly, the end of this Government's term, that payment still has not been implemented. What is holding up this payment? This needs to be implemented as a priority. The Government said that budget 2024 strongly reflected a focus on reducing child poverty and promoting children's well-being. Children and young people in direct provision have been left behind in this very important work. They are the only group of children who are not receiving any additional supports, or can receive any such supports during the cost-of-living crisis.

When we talk about reducing child poverty, we must talk about reducing child poverty for all children. A number of civil society organisations which worked with and for children and young people across the country, including children in direct provision, have been calling for this for some time.

Civil society organisations tell us that the lack of proper incomes means that children living in direct provision face childhood poverty more severely. They tell us that children are eating cold meals because their families have no access to cooking facilities and no money to afford hot food. Families in direct provision cannot cover the cost of school expenses, uniforms, school trips, etc, by living on just €29 per week.

What are the barriers to implementing this child payment and could the Minister of State commit that all measures to alleviate child poverty in budget 2024 and budget 2025 will be implemented for all children, including children in direct provision?