Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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13. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the specific measures he is taking to tackle child poverty; the targets he on his own and in conjunction with other Departments has set for reducing child poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3209/16]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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In recognition of the higher risks and life-long consequences of child poverty, the Government set a child-specific poverty target in Better Outcomes, Better Future: the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People to reduce consistent child poverty by at least two thirds on the 2011 level, a figure of 70,000 children. Based on more recent (2014) data, this target has been updated to 100,000 children.

The Department of Social Protection has the lead role in co-ordinating Government strategies on child poverty and is the Sponsor of Outcome 4 of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures- economic security and opportunity. It also has lead responsibility for the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion, and it has identified child poverty as a key cross-sectoral priority to be addressed in 2015 and 2016 under the Better Outcomes, Brighter Futuresstructures.

My Department is actively contributing to this multi-dimensional approach to address child poverty. Key to this is the importance accorded to the development of effective and quality focused services and support for children and young people. In this regard my Department, in collaboration with the Department of Social Protection, will hold an EU Peer Review next month to explore innovative responses in prevention and early intervention to improve outcomes for children - in particular those experiencing child poverty and disadvantage. This event will involve ten Member States and the European Commission and a number of key Irish Stakeholders.

Within my Department, there are also a number of specific areas of focus that support our response to child poverty. These include:

- Provision of €260 million annually on early childhood care and education and after-school support programmes which provide care to 100,000 children. This will increase to €345m in 2016.

- Provision of €29.7 million through the Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme (2013-2017) which is co-funded by my Department and The Atlantic Philanthropies.

- Provision of €51 million in the area of youth work services and supports.

Finally, as part of my Department's response, Tusla is responsible for the delivery of a range of services focusing on the welfare, protection and support for children, young people and their families which are key to supporting outcomes which assist in actively reducing the impact of child poverty.