Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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133. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if his Department has analysed the impact on child poverty of the previous Minister's decision to more than double penalty cuts to jobseekers' payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50504/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The poverty data used by my Department is the official poverty data published annually by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in the Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC).

It is important to note that until the release of the SILC in March 2025, consistent poverty in children 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%.

Furthermore, it should be noted that while this latest child poverty data is very disappointing, it is important to recognise that it is based on 2023 income data and therefore does not reflect the Government’s full response to child poverty in recent years.

Overall, the last two Budgets each contained the largest social welfare packages in the history of the State and included significant increases to core social welfare rates. These increases have not yet been included in the latest CSO poverty statistics, nor has significant investment in non-income supports and services, such as Hot School Meals and free schoolbooks.

In relation to reduced rates for Jobseeker schemes, this occurs when a person does not engage with my Department’s Public Employment Service. This measure has been in place since 2011, and Budget 2025 increased that rate.

As part of the requirements of the Jobseeker schemes, recipients of these payments have a responsibility to seek employment and to engage with my Department’s Public Employment Service. Where they do not, payments are reduced and are immediately restored as soon as the person reengages.

We know that securing quality and employment is one of the best routes out of poverty and to prevent poverty. The aim of reduced rates is to encourage people to engage with the Public Employment Service. It is essential that people are supported in their efforts to seek employment and my Department provides this through Intreo, the Public Employment Service, that includes the provision of tailored support through education, training, upskilling and work placements, as well as programmes like CE and TUS.