Latest news with #childdeprivation
Irish Times
18-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on cost-of-living increases: children are bearing the brunt
The upward spiral in the cost of living may have now abated to less than 2 per cent per year but the cumulative 20 per cent jump since 2020 has a long tail. A spate of recent studies and reports have detailed how rising costs impose an unfair burden on the most vulnerable, with children bearing the brunt of it. A study compiled by the St Vincent de Paul found that many families have been left struggling to make ends meet in the wake of the rise in the cost of everyday goods and services. The income of a one-parent household which is dependent on social welfare supports – with a primary and second-level school-going child – only covers 82 per cent of their minimum needs as defined by the study. Many low-income families are dependent on in-work supports such as housing and childcare payments, even though family members are in employment. Even in those households deemed above the poverty line – defined as having a disposable income above 60 per cent of the median – many children experienced deprivation, such as not having a warm home or a second pair of sturdy shoes. Almost one in five children fit into this category, says the Economic & Social Research Institute, which identifies housing costs, disability and lone parenting as drivers of what they term enforced deprivation. READ MORE A report from the Children's Rights Alliance finds that the number of children in consistent poverty in Ireland had increased by more than 45,000 in one year, bringing the total to over 100,000. Children are the most likely group in society to experience poverty, according to the alliance. The issue has also come to the attention of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission which has written to primary and post-primary schools, outlining a series of recommendations aimed at cutting back-to-school costs. The CCPC cites research by the Irish League of Credit Unions that found two-thirds of families see back to school costs to be a significant burden. The publication of these reports and studies on the cost of living and its impact on child poverty comes as the Government kicked off the Budget 2026 process this week at the National Economic Dialogue. It is probably not entirely coincidental. The issue is clearly on the Government's radar with the Taoiseach telling the dialogue meeting he has asked his Ministers to come up with measures that 'will really make the difference to the most vulnerable families and children'. The Taoiseach has not ruled out the introduction of a second tier of child benefit payments – a measure supported by ESRI research – in the budget. He has cautioned that it is important to first determine if the current spike in child poverty is a temporary blip after a period of progress. That would seem most unlikely given the evidence to hand.
Irish Times
17-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Disability and debt causing financial strain in families and pushing children into deprivation, report warns
Spiralling housing costs are forcing more children into 'enforced deprivation', preventing them from having basics like a warm home or a second pair of sturdy shoes, a report published today warns. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) study found that, in 2023, almost one in five children (17 per cent) were living lives classified as 'deprived' despite coming from households with incomes above the poverty line. This was up from 12 per cent the previous year. The way poverty is currently measured is not fully capturing the level of deprivation suffered by all children, the report says. It adds that this may have to change 'to include factors like housing costs and the cost of disability'. Those who live in poverty come from households with a disposable income below 60 per cent of the median. People are experiencing deprivation if they are unable to afford two or more of 11 key items. This includes an adequately heated home or a main meal with protein at least every second day. READ MORE The report, Deprived children in Ireland: Characterising those who are deprived but not income-poor, looks at the growing number of children in such households. A 'significant number of this cohort is facing high housing costs, preventing them from translating their relatively higher income into an adequate standard of living', say the authors. 'This report finds that 39 per cent of children in [this cohort] are living in households where at least one member over the age of 16 has a disability.' It goes on to say this 'suggests that the additional costs of disability are another reason for experiencing deprivation while not being income-poor'. Forty-one per cent of children who are not officially in poverty, but who are suffering enforced deprivation, live in lone-parent households. Their families are often enduring 'financial, health and wellbeing strains', with more debt and arrears than even the poorest families. The report added: 'This suggests accumulated debt is another reason why those above the income threshold are materially deprived.' The authors highlight 'the role of housing costs for understanding the living standards of families with children and their risk of deprivation'. They continue: 'Poverty measures calculated using a post-housing cost measure of income are now routinely published by the Central Statistics Office . . . Adjusting income for the cost of disability to take account of this group's significant additional needs should also be considered.' More comprehensive policies to tackle child poverty are needed to ensure children in these families are not being excluded from supports, say the authors. The report notes the 'significant role that social transfers and benefits . . . play in reducing child poverty at a national level', as well as a 2023 ESRI finding that a second tier of child benefit could lift 40,000 children out of income poverty . Eva Slevin, co-author of the report, says it highlights 'the serious challenges faced by families whose incomes are above the poverty line but still experience deprivation'. She added: 'These include high levels of financial strain, difficulty coping with unexpected expenses and high levels of depression and poor health among household heads. These problems are on a similar scale to those captured by the official 'consistent poverty' measure, suggesting this group should also be considered for policy intervention.' Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the report would 'help us better understand the factors contributing to deprivation and poverty among children, [and] help us target responses to our most vulnerable children and to ensure that every child gets the start they deserve'.
