20 percent of children in Ireland are living in poverty, according to latest ESRI report

September 5, 2024 | 8:20 am

childcare

One in five children in Ireland is living in poverty.

A new report from the ESRI shows children are at a higher risk of poverty than any other age group.

This report looked at material deprivation – which is where households are unable to afford two or more items from a list of 10 essentials.

This includes two pairs of shoes, a warm coat, new clothes, and a nutritious meal.

The report shows almost 230 thousand children didn’t have some of these basic items last year, which is a rise of 2 per cent.

The report also shows inflation has left average disposable income lower than it was two years ago.

ESRI researchers say the report shows there’s a strong argument for a two-tier child benefit structure, with more money for low-income families.

 

 

More News

Scroll to Top