Child poverty crisis deepens as families skip meals
Child poverty crisis deepens as families skip meals - The Labour Party
- Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil cannot ignore child poverty any longer
Labour children’s spokesperson Mark Wall TD called on Government to urgently introduce targeted measures to support struggling families and tackle child poverty following the publication of a new Barnardos report showing that one in five parents say they or their children have had to go without food or cut back on meals because of the cost of living crisis.
Deputy Wall said:
“These findings should shock every member of Government into action. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, one in five parents are telling us that they or their children are going without food because they simply cannot afford it. Barnardos has found that almost half of families are now skipping meals due to financial pressures.
“This is not an isolated statistic. It comes just weeks after the Child Poverty Monitor 2026 revealed that more than 95,000 children are living in consistent poverty. We were promised a Government that would tackle child poverty head-on. Instead, families are being left behind while Ministers congratulate themselves on policies that are clearly not reaching those who need support most.
“Every time Labour raises the issue of child poverty, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil point to the hot school meals scheme as evidence of progress. Of course school meals can make a real difference, but the reality on the ground tells a different story.
“The cost of raising a child has increased dramatically. Families are facing higher grocery bills, rising energy costs, high childcare expenses and growing housing pressures. Labour has consistently argued that reducing child poverty must be treated as a national priority. That means targeted support for low-income families, expanding access to school meals, and tackling housing costs.
“Government cannot continue to ignore the warning signs. In a country as wealthy as Ireland, no child should be going hungry. Labour will continue to press for the action needed to ensure every child gets the start in life they deserve.”