Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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752. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection given the shift toward permanent, targeted measures in Budget 2026, the provisions that will be specifically allocated to tackle child poverty and housing instability in Cork city, including Blarney, Mallow and Glanmire. [48377/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach and wider Government have been very clear that tackling child poverty is a priority for this Government and will be a key factor in framing next month’s Budget, as well as future priorities.

Given the complexity and intersectionality of poverty, a whole of Government focus is essential to reduce child poverty and to meet our new and ambitious Child Poverty Target of 3% or less, based on consistent poverty, by 2030.

In the context of Budget 2026, my Department is focused on continuing and enhancing targeted income supports for families and children who are most in need. We will also need continued and targeted actions in relation to key areas such as housing and homelessness, which we know has significant impact on child poverty, and which I know the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is very focused on. Any potential housing measures in Budget 2026 at a local level, including in relation to Cork, is a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Until the release of the CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions data in March 2025, child consistent poverty in Ireland had been on a downward trend, peaking in 2013 at 12.7% and falling to its lowest level in 2023 at 4.8%, before increasing significantly in 2024 to 8.5%.

While this latest data is based on 2023 income data and therefore does not reflect the Government's full response to child poverty in Budgets 2024 and 2025, the Government is determined to focus our efforts to deliver targeted cross-Government measures to support those children most in need.

Given the complex and multi-faceted nature of child poverty, this will require a whole of Government focus and investment, not just over one Budget, but over the lifetime of this Government, and beyond.