Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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159. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking to address child poverty. [5160/22]

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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162. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to establish a dedicated child poverty unit in his Department to combat child poverty in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5415/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 162 together.

The Deputy will be aware that the Department of Social Protection leads on the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 – 2025, aimed at reducing poverty and improving social inclusion. Under the Roadmap, a new child poverty target is being agreed.

Relevant Officials are in contact with regard to a new target for child poverty under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion, and identifying a programme of work to address child poverty under the successor framework to Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures – currently under development. In this regard I have also scheduled a meeting with Minister O’Brien this month to further this work.

As Deputies will know, addressing Child Poverty was identified as a priority action under Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures and it will remain a priority in the successor framework being developed by my Department.

My Department actively engages with colleagues across government in our efforts to tackle child poverty, and will continue to prioritise family leave, early learning and care, and child centred family support services.

Of course as Minister for Children, I am committed to contributing in any way I can to the Government’s efforts to tackle child poverty, and in Budget 2022 I secured an additional €84m to help address and counter child poverty. This funding is additional to my Department's significant annual spending on youth services and on supports for children and young people, with almost €640m being spent on child care support programmes and almost €900m allocated to Tusla for services to deliver better outcomes for all our children, and particularly for those most at risk and vulnerable.

I believe that significant advancements can be made through my Department’s coordination of the EU Child Guarantee, an important initiative which aims to combat social exclusion by guaranteeing access for children who are in need of a range of key services.

I will publish our National Action Plan for the Child Guarantee by March 2022. The commitments under the Guarantee address critical matters such as free access to early childhood education and care; education; healthcare for children in need; healthy nutrition including a healthy meal each school day; and adequate housing.

Tackling child poverty and effectively implementing the Child Guarantee will require the commitment and active and sustained participation of my colleagues across government to ensure it is collaborative, integrated and, ultimately, impactful.

As part of the EU Child Guarantee process, and in developing the successor national policy Framework to Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, I will be engaging with my cabinet colleagues to consider the most appropriate and effective structures to pursue the reforms necessary to improve outcomes for our most disadvantaged children and young people.

In terms of child poverty focused structures, I have an open mind on how best to address this complicated issue though at this time I have no plans to introduce a child poverty unit. That said, my Department has established a new EU and International Unit which, among other responsibilities, will lead on the coordination across Government of the necessary actions emerging from the EU Child Guarantee. This will enable us to pursue a coherent agenda in relation to child poverty.