Child poverty scandal demands urgent action
Child poverty scandal demands urgent action - The Labour Party
Labour’s children spokesperson Mark Wall TD has called for urgent Government action following the publication of the 2026 Child Poverty Monitor, which found that 95,170 children were living in consistent poverty in 2025, equivalent to one in every 12 children.
Deputy Wall said:
“We were promised a Government that would tackle child poverty head-on. Yesterday’s report shows we got the opposite. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, more than 95,000 children are now living in consistent poverty. That is a national scandal.
“The Child Poverty Monitor tracks the Government’s progress year after year. Five editions later, the picture remains deeply concerning. While poverty rates have marginally increased and decreased over recent years, the overall trend is one of stagnation. Children continue to experience the highest rates of poverty of any age group in Irish society.
“Labour has repeatedly called for the introduction of a dedicated children’s budget to ensure every Government decision is assessed against its impact on children and child poverty. If we are serious about giving every child a fair start in life, then children’s wellbeing must become a central priority across Government. We urgently need a step-change in how we respond to this crisis. Government must expand the Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office so that it is properly resourced and empowered to drive real change. We cannot continue with the same approach and expect different results.
“We know what works. Labour has called for the introduction of a new targeted second rate of child benefit for families most in need, a proposal backed by both the ESRI and the Commission on Taxation and Welfare. Properly implemented, this measure would significantly reduce child poverty and provide direct support to families facing the greatest challenges. We have also consistently argued for a public childcare scheme that delivers affordable and accessible childcare for all families.
“Government must stop treating child poverty as an inevitable feature of society and start treating it as the national emergency that it is. Labour will continue to fight for targeted child income supports, affordable childcare, investment in public services and a dedicated children’s budget because no child in Ireland should grow up in poverty. The time for reports and promises has passed. The time for action is now.”