Speak up to End Child Poverty

Government Consultation an Important Moment

By Denise Charlton

All who want to end the scourge of child poverty must seize the opportunity of a Government Consultation to speak up and demand the introduction of targeted supports and payments for the families which need them most.

Three children sitting on a school staircase. On the left is a child playing a violin, on the right a child blows a trumpet. A girl in the middle is holding a big sign saying 'I Support A Children's Budget'.

Young musicians from St Ultan’s School, Cherry Orchard, Dublin strike a note to break the cycle of poverty through the introduction of the DEIS Plus programme at a Children’s Rights Alliance End Child Poverty event..

Positive Step

There is must a small window for everyone to add their voice and back an approach which it is estimated could lift-up to 50,000 children out of poverty.

The announcement by Minister Dara Calleary represents the most positive step to date towards introducing targeted payments. The evidence for which is supported by Best In Class Research by the Economic and Social Research Institute and the Child Poverty Monitor by the Children’s Rights Alliance – all in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland.

Our moment has come and it is important that all who believe in equality act before a 12th June Deadline. Submissions are being accepted at WACPConsultation@welfare.ie

The Case for Change

All of us should feel shame that today in our country there are 250,000 children living in the shadow of poverty and deprivation. One-in-five of our children denied opportunities, hope and their rights at a time when on paper we are a wealthy society.

The Community Foundation and its philanthropists and supporters have always been clear that our equality mission cannot be achieved while children are going without food, clothing and in some cases even a home.

Informed by the experience of frontline organisations the Foundation acted six years ago to bring some leadership into resolving this crisis.

Our Poverty Income Inequality and Living Standards research with the ESRI has been a game-changer, setting the agenda and the narrative every September in the run into the Budget.

Similarly, our work to introduce the pioneering Child Poverty Monitor with the Children’s Rights Alliance has proved a focus point for advocacy and campaigning.

A combined approach which has delivered results including the Deis+ School model to deliver extra services to areas of need, the roll out of school meals for every child, pilot holiday hunger programmes and increases in universal child benefits.

Each is an achievement yet the big ask, which the researchers and advocates agree on has proved elusive. Despite winning universal acclaim, including from former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Government has yet to introduce a targeted second tier of child benefit.

Why Now?

The next Poverty Monitor will be published just two-days before the close of the Government Consultation. While we have yet to see the figures and the results, it is fair to predict from the trends of previous years that it will make for stark reading.

We know too that the current Programme for Government contains a commitment to examine targeted payments. Any proper examination must include the research and the findings made possible through our partnerships. They provide both the evidence and the solutions.

However, beyond the figures, the trends and the graphs as a society we have a responsibility to act. A responsibility to the children in our communities who today are unsure where their next meal will come from, whether they have clothes for school or sports or indeed the many who do not know where they will sleep tonight.

We have reached a moment and it is important that all who share our mission and believe in the rights of our children use it to speak up – either by making a formal submission, a letter or an email and sending it to the Government before the 12th June Deadline.

By acting now we can truly make Budget 2027 one which truly matters by delivering for our children.

Denise Charlton is Chief Executive with Community Foundation Ireland.

Support Our Mission

If you would like to join our philanthropic work to end child poverty or other parts of our equality mission, please do check out our Strategic Giving Guide.