LAST UPDATE | 10 Jun

THE NUMBER OF children in Ireland in “consistent poverty” has risen to over 100,000, which marks a “staggering” rise of 45,107 more children than the previous year. 

The stark statistics come from the Children’s Rights Alliance’s annual Child Poverty Monitor report. 

Children remain the most likely cohort in Irish society to experience poverty. 

The report also notes that children in low income houses are experiencing overcrowding in the home at a higher rate as almost one in four children at risk of poverty are growing up in overcrowded households. 

Statistics provided by the CSO show that over a quarter of a million children experienced “enforced deprivation” in 2024, meaning that one in every five children was living in a household that couldn’t afford the goods and services considered the bare minimum for a decent standard of living, such as a winter coat, or a new pair of shoes. 

Last year, just one-quarter of households that benefited from social welfare supports had an adequate source of income from these supports. 

The report notes that in this period, there was a focus from Government on lump sum payments and one-off top offs, rather than an increase in supports overall. 

Overall, the number of children at risk of poverty in Ireland fell between 2021 and 2023, but rose again in 2024. 

There was an increase in the at risk of poverty rate from 14.3% of children in 2o23 to 15.3% in 2024, which accounts for an additional 12,955 children living in households with incomes less than 60% of the median income level. 

The report notes that since it started tracking food poverty in 2o22, there has been a “staggering” increase in the cost of basic essentials. 

While it noted that the Government is on track to provide universal hot school meal provision by 2030, there is now an emerging issue of “holiday hunger” wherein children don’t have enough to eat on the school holidays, which the Children’s Rights Alliance says needs to be addressed.

The report found that single parent households with children are more likely to be unable to afford a roast dinner once a week, and more unlikely to be able to afford meat, chicken, or fish every other day. 

While just 1.8% of the population fall into the latter category (unable to afford meat or fish every other day), that increases to 8% for households with one adult and one to three children, while the figure is at just 0.9% for households with two adults and one to three children. 

The CEO of the organisation, Tanya Ward, has called for immediate Government action in response to the findings: 

“These are children for whom a decent standard of living and aspirations of a better future diminish day by day. This poverty is not inevitable. Policy decisions and budget investments determine the fate of these children and young people,” she said. 

Ward noted that there has been progress with the introduction of new universal measures such as free school books, the extension of the hot school scheme, and free GP care being introduced for children under 8, and billions of investment in childcare. 

“However, these have come at the expense of the targeted measures and strategic investment that are critical to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty our children are inheriting, Budget 2026 has to focus on breaking the cycle,” she said.