Press Releases

Published date: 01 Oct 2024

Government focuses on children and families with extension of Free School Books and Hot School Meals

Commenting on Budget 2025 measures announced today (01.10.2024), Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance said;

On Income

“This is the furthest this Government has gone in increasing income supports specifically for children and young people experiencing poverty raising the Increase for a Qualified Child by €4 for children under 12 and €8 for children over 12 as well as an additional, once-off €100 payment. The increases still remain below what we want to see to ensure a decent standard of living for these children, but it represents a step in the right direction. Considering we have only seen small, flat rate increases in the last few budgets, we hope this signals a direction-change politically that targeted income supports are critically important alongside any universal increases to break the cycle of poverty.”

“The national budget is better spent on public services, but the Government has introduced a number of measures that are going to have an immediate effect on children and families who we know are struggling. This includes increased supports for carers, double child benefit payments, and an overall increase in core social welfare payments.”

“Children and young people in direct provision, who are currently left to stretch less than €30 a week, need to be included in the sweeping cost-of-living worth €2.2 billion. A commitment to end child poverty must include urgent action to lift these children out of poverty. Last year, Government allocated funding to deliver a child-benefit like payment but one year, we saw no movement. It is great to see a commitment included in Budget 2025 – we urge Government to implement without delay.”

On Early Years

“It is welcome to see the sustained investment again this year, with a €1.4 billion package announced today. Recent budgets have included the largest investments in this sector made by any government and the positive upshots of this are evident in the increased affordability for families to early years services for children.”

“While we await the detail of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth expenditure, it is positive to see Government finally focus on children and families with the introduction of a series of measures to support them in the immediate sense including a ‘newborn grant’. We know the costs specifically for essentials including nappies, formula have increased exponentially, and with the latest research from the ESRI pointing to higher numbers at risk of poverty with children aged 0-5 years, this payment is a welcome support.”

On Education

“We are pleased to see Government fulfil its own commitment of expanding the Free School Book Scheme to all students with the announcement today of €51 million to bring the Scheme to all Senior Cycle. This was the final hurdle for the Government which delivers a measure that was decades in the making. The continued expansions have made an immediate impact, and the expansion announced today effectively puts over €200 back in families’ pockets. It has taken several budgets to see this through, but the investment will pay dividends in the long run. This will remove a huge financial pressure from families and help level the playing field for every single student from September next year.”

On Food Poverty

“The commitment to expand the Hot School Meals Programme to all remaining primary schools is significant progress in addressing child poverty. Full expansion at primary level removes stigma and ensures that all children in poverty, regardless of whether they attend DEIS or non-DEIS schools, will be guaranteed at least one hot nutritious meal a day.”

“We really cannot accept that in 2024 there are children and young people, and family members, going to bed or school hungry. The Hot School Meals Programme becomes a lifesaver for these children, but that raft is pulled from under them when the school holidays come. The fear and anxiety of how to fill weeks with food consumes hundreds of families. Today, we not only see an acknowledgement that holiday hunger is a real and pressing issue, but we also see funding of €1.3 million behind a solution that bridges that gap. This will make a meaningful difference to the children and families that need it the most.”

Tanya Ward concluded: “No one budget can end child poverty and what we have seen in Budget 2025 and over the last number of years is a shift in political thinking that recognises the need for consistent, sustained investment to deliver the systemic changes that need to happen across all departments. Taking ambitious action is required to turn the tide of child poverty and through the delivery of free schoolbooks for all students, sustained investment of over €1 billion in early years and more targeted supports for children most in need, Budget 2025 proves it is possible. What we want to see next is an equally ambitious approach to ramping up the measures designed specifically to break the cycle of poverty.”

_ENDS_
Contact: Robyn Keleghan, [email protected] / 087 136 8975

Notes to Editors:
• Tanya Ward, Chief Executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance is available for media interviews.
• Other spokespeople are available on request.
• Children’s Rights Alliance will issue further response on Department of Children, Equality, Disability
• The Children’s Rights Alliance anonymous snapshot survey was carried out between 9 August and 23 August 2024, with 37 responses, supporting 5,783 children. Read more here.
• Barnardos Back to School Survey 2024 is available here showing the average cost for 5th year student for books is €213.
• Note: This press release was edited to reflect Department briefing on holiday hunger pilot.

About the Children’s Rights Alliance
Founded in 1995, the Children’s Rights Alliance unites over 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