Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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531. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to deal with the issue of child poverty over the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33841/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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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 2014-2020 to reduce consistent child poverty by at least two-thirds by 2020. This figure currently represents 100,000 children.

In order to understand and improve the lives of our children, my Department commissioned the Growing Up in Ireland study. The study examines the lives of Irish children from a wide range of perspectives including economic vulnerability. My department is also developing a national indicator set to track progress against the five national outcomes in Better Outcomes, Brighter Future including Outcome 4: Economic security and opportunity which covers the issue of child poverty.

The Department of Social Protection has the lead role in coordinating Government strategies on child poverty. 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. Officials in my Department are working closely with the Department of Social Protection in informing the plan for this cross-sectoral priority.

As part of its role in implementing Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, my Department has identified prevention and early intervention as a key cross-sectoral priority to be addressed in conjunction with a sub-group of the Advisory Council.

My Department addresses this priority through three levels. Firstly, it co-finances, with The Atlantic Philanthropies, the Area Based Childhood (ABC) Programme (2013-2017) to the combined value of €29.7 million. The ABC Programme is designed to prevent inter-generational poverty through area based programmes with a strong prevention and early intervention focus. The ABC Programme has a strong evaluation component allowing us to identify the programmes, initiatives and approaches which impact positively on children's outcomes. Secondly, my Department is developing the Quality and Capacity Building Initiative that aims to mainstream learning from prevention and early intervention initiatives and take a co-ordinated approach the improve capacity and quality of services for children at risk of developing poor outcomes. Thirdly, my Department provides significant funding in a range of key areas which support a concerted response to addressing child poverty. These include the areas of Early Years and Youth. It also includes resourcing of Tusla services focusing on the welfare, protection and support for children, young people and their families. These are all key in supporting outcomes which assist in reducing the impact of child poverty.

I believe that over the next five years we can further strengthen these essential supports. In particular I am very interested in and committed to the area of prevention and early intervention. I believe that identifying and transferring the best learning in terms of interventions and supports for children in this area through a coordinated and collaborative effort is key. As referenced my Department is actively working on this at present in conjunction with a range of key informants under the Better Outcomes Brighter Futures implementation infrastructure.