Press Releases

Published date: 20 Mar 2025

Children’s Rights Alliance Statement on CSO’s Standard of Living Income Conditions Figures

Government must urgently address the fact that it is children shouldering the worst poverty rates in the country

Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance stated; 

“Last week, we got the first look at how poverty is manifesting in Ireland in 2024. The numbers revealed that more than one in five children are experiencing enforced deprivation. Today, the reality of that child poverty becomes clearer. To see poverty rates creeping upwards across the population is worrying. It is evident that the cost-of-living measures cushioned some of the impact given the spike that we would have seen in poverty rates when these are excluded. However, the direction of travel shows that these one – off payments are not enough on their own to turn the tide of poverty.”

“It is of deep concern to us and should be a serious priority for this Government that it is our youngest that are shouldering significantly higher poverty rates. In 2024, 104,780 (8.5%) of children experienced consistent poverty – growing up in a vice grip of poverty that impacts their lives every day and in every way. How can we accept that in a thriving economy, that this has jumped from 4.8% in 2023 to 8.5% in 2024. Children and young people are dependent on Government to make the right political decisions and right now, the decisions have resulted in children having the highest at risk of poverty and consistent poverty rates in the country. We need to see urgency and drive behind targeted measures, like increasing the Child Support Payment and scaling up investment in Equal Start, that address the root causes of this enforced deprivation. This starts with the delivery of a Children’s Budget designed to break the cycle of poverty for children and young people.”

The SILC data shows:

• 104,780 children in consistent poverty in 2024: The number of children in consistent poverty rose from 4.8% in 2023 to 8.5% in 2024. The consistent poverty rate was highest among children aged 0 to 17 years compared to the rest of the population.
• 188,605 children were at risk of poverty in 2024: The number children at risk of poverty rose from 14.3% in 2023 to 15.3% in 2024. By age group, persons aged under 18 years (15.3%) had the highest at risk of poverty rate in SILC.

_ENDS_ 

For media queries contact:

Robyn Keleghan: [email protected]/ 085 800 1275
Gillian Hogan: [email protected]

Notes to Editors:   

• Spokespeople from the Children’s Rights Alliance are available for interview.
• Read the Central Statistics Office Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) Enforced Deprivation 2024 here.
• Read the Children’s Rights Alliance reaction to the CSO publication 11 March 2025 here.
• The number of children was calculated based on The State of the Nation’s Children Report from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth which has the total child population at 1,232,714.

About the Children’s Rights Alliance
Founded in 1995, the Children’s Rights Alliance unites 150 members working together to make Ireland one of the best places in the world to be a child. Further information is available at: www.childrensrights.ie or on Twitter, @ChildRightsIRL #EndChildPoverty