There is significant public support for targeted measures to support children in low-income families and break the cycle of poverty, research published on Monday shows.
To mark the start of End Child Poverty week the Children’s Rights Alliance commissioned a RedC poll, which suggests broad support for measures in the upcoming budget to support low-income families.
Almost three quarters of those polled said the Government should increase social welfare supports for children in low-income families in Budget 2026.
A similar percentage said additional means-tested child support payments should be provided for low-income families.
RM Block
A further 80 per cent said they would like to see Deis schools given additional resources to provide wellbeing supports for children from low-income families. A similar number said funding for additional resources to Equal Start (pre-school) services that support children in low-income families should be increased.
Nearly nine in 10 people agree that additional funding to address issues such as poverty-related childhood hunger and malnutrition should be considered in Budget 2026. Almost all of those polled – under 100 per cent - said poverty-related childhood hunger and malnutrition should not exist in Ireland.
“Right now 100,000 children in Ireland are living in the deepest form of poverty,” said the head of the Children’s Rights Alliance Tanya Ward.
“The impact this has had on the Irish public is clear from our findings today as we see an overwhelming consensus that more needs to be done for children and young people. More importantly, we also see that the public supports targeted measures the most.”
She said “poverty robs children and families. Eating toast to get through the week, never turning on the heating and saying no to every treat is a grind. This is the reality for families on low pay, paying high rents or living on welfare payments. The Government has favoured small top-up payments in previous budgets and this has failed to help families on the lowest incomes. It’s just not good enough,” she said.
Investment in early years services “is the single most effective thing a government can do to address the impact of child poverty and prevent intergenerational poverty”.
