LAST UPDATE | 5 Sep

THERE HAS BEEN an increase in the number of children unable to access essential items.

 The Economic & Social Research Institute has today published its fourth annual report on “Poverty, Income Inequality and Living Standards in Ireland”.

The ESRI has found that “material deprivation” among those aged under 18 rose from 17.7% in 2022 to 20.1% in 2023.

Material deprivation is an inability to afford two or more items from a list of ten essentials.

These ten essentials include two pairs of strong shoes, a warm waterproof outercoat, new clothes, and the ability to replace worn-out furniture.

It also includes a meal with meat, chicken, fish, or a vegetarian equivalent every second day, as well as a roast joint or its vegetarian equivalent once a week.

Also included is the ability to afford home heating in the past year, the ability to buy presents for friends or family at least once a year, to buy drinks or a meal for friends or family once a month, and a morning, afternoon, or evening of entertainment once a fortnight.

The figures mean that 230,000 children are currently estimated to experience material deprivation, an increase of almost 30,000 since 2022.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said the figures “shows that there’s far too many children in our country still living in very difficult situations and far too many parents struggling to make ends meet”.

Harris added that a  further cost-of-living package will be delivered in response to child poverty.

“This is a wealthy, successful country,” said Harris. “We can do better when it comes to this area, and I’m absolutely determined that we will.”

The ESRI report also found that in a household where someone had a disability, material deprivation rates are close to a quarter (24.4%).

And while material deprivation rates decreased for those aged 65 and over, from 11.7% to 9.8%, the ESRI report found that over half of those renting from an approved housing body, local authority or in receipt of the Housing Assistance Payment were materially deprived.

Across the population as a whole, rates of material deprivation have increased for the second year in a row, from 13.2% in 2021 to 16.3% last year.

The ESRI further notes that those experiencing material deprivation are less likely to be engaged in civic participation and have significantly fewer social contacts, as well as significantly lower levels of life satisfaction.

Meanwhile, the report found that when housing costs are accounted for, rates of child poverty have increase from 20% in 2020 to 22% in 2023.

Rates of income poverty are particularly high in households where the youngest child is aged 5 or under, which a quarter of such households – totally 250,000 children and parents – below the poverty line on an after housing costs basis.

There has also been a 3% real, inflation-adjusted, decline in the average disposable income of households with children, though this has increased by 3% for those aged 65 and over.

Dr Barra Roantree, a co-author of the report, said the findings suggest additional policy measures, such as a second tier of child benefit targeted at low-income families, may need to be considered if Government commitments to reducing rates of child poverty and material deprivation are to be achieved.

Meanwhile, Dr Helen Russell, a Research Professor at the ESRI and co-author of the report, noted that “poverty has a depressing effect on both social and civic participation”.

She added: “If individuals feel excluded from society and that their voices are not heard this undermines social trust and cohesion.”

Community Foundation Ireland supported the research and has a network of 5,000 voluntary, community and charitable partners.

Its Chief Executive Denise Charlton remarked that the “challenges identified reflects the reality many face on the ground every day, and highlights the importance of policy decisions which promote inclusion and equality for all”.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Social Protection, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, said in response to the report that Sinn Féin would fund double child benefit payments this October and December, and increase child benefit by €10 in the party’s upcoming alternative budget.

He said the report is “yet another wake-up call for the government” and added: “For all their big talk and announcements on tackling poverty, the fact is that there are more children in material deprivation now than 12 months previously.”

Elsewhere, the Social Democrats finance spokesperson Róisín Shortall said the report shows that “this government pays lip service to addressing child poverty”.

“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar made ending child poverty one of his key priorities. Instead, it has gone up,” said Shortall.

She added: “We are in a period of extraordinary opportunity, with record €8 billion surpluses being recorded each year.

“However, instead of using that money wisely, to the benefit of the most vulnerable in our society, what we have seen instead is waste, mismanagement and ineptitude.”