Press release
Taoiseach’s summit shapes Ireland’s leadership role in eliminating child poverty
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
Taoiseach Simon Harris will today (Thursday 23 May 2024) host the inaugural Child Poverty and Well-being Summit.
The summit will provide an opportunity for more than 300 participants from across Irish society to gear up for accelerated action on child poverty and child well-being. Leaders from the statutory and non-statutory sector will meet with policy-makers, service providers, academics, and children and young people in order to chart a new ambitious course for Ireland. Participants will discuss how Ireland can play a leadership role in Europe and in the world in its progressive elimination of child poverty.
A keynote address by the Right Honourable Gordon Brown will set out practical lessons for Ireland to consider. Panel inputs will address how child poverty interacts with the role of the arts, climate justice, and the economy, while in the afternoon participants will grapple with a wide range of practical challenges in key areas such as income and jobs, early years, education, homelessness, participation, health and mental health, and services.
The views of children and young people are integral to the summit discussions and will be expressed through art, music and in an animated video which captures the key concerns of the Summit’s Youth Advisory Group.
Speaking in advance of the summit, Taoiseach Simon Harris said:
“Ending child poverty is a defining challenge for any leader. I want to lead a country where every child can dream and feel excited about their future, where every child has what they need to be happy and healthy, and where everyone is able to support the children in their lives to feel loved, included, and capable.
“The summit is incredibly timely and will help us to prepare for Budget 2025. We will use today’s discussion to inform the decisions that we need to take to make a real difference in children’s lives.
“We won’t achieve everything in one Budget, this is a project which will take time, but we will see clear progress this year and every year. I am determined that Ireland will be a European and world leader in progressively eliminating child poverty, and making sure that every child can realise their potential."
Addressing the summit, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman said that:
“I am determined to ensure that every child in Ireland has the best possible start in life. To achieve this, we must do everything possible to ensure access to key services and supports for all children, including children at risk of poverty or social exclusion, and to break cycles of intergenerational disadvantage. The lasting impact of disadvantage in early childhood can be seen in inter-generational cycles of poverty and social exclusion.
“Equal Start, announced earlier this week, is the new model of Government-funded supports to ensure children experiencing disadvantage can access and meaningfully participate in early learning and childcare. The summit is a timely opportunity to reflect on the importance of ensuring that children from all backgrounds, and most particularly children experiencing disadvantage, can access the services they need to improve their outcomes."
The Minister for Education Norma Foley welcomed the important discussion and noted:
“Education is vital in providing children experiencing poverty with the opportunities to reach their potential and realise a brighter future. The Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme is a key policy initiative of the Department of Education to address concentrated educational disadvantage in our schools. My Department allocates a combined total of over €180 million annually in supports to almost 1,200 schools in the programme. To continue to build on the success of DEIS, we have invited the OECD to review its current policy approach to supporting children at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools.
“The DEIS programme supplements the range of universal supports available to all schools, including the Free Primary Schoolbooks Scheme and a landmark new scheme to provide free schoolbooks to junior cycle students in post-primary schools from September 2024. By providing our children and young people with free school books and core classroom resources, we are enhancing their educational experience, not just in the classroom but also by reaching out into the family home.
“To further improve educational outcomes for children experiencing disadvantage, the Department of Education is also working, alongside others, in close collaboration with the Traveller and Roma communities on the development of a Traveller and Roma Education Strategy (TRES). The strategy and implementation plan is expected to be finalised in the coming months."
The inaugural summit takes place in Dublin Castle on 23 May 2024, and will be live streamed. The summit programme is available here.
Notes for editors
1. Income supports and joblessness
2. Early learning and childcare
3. Reducing the cost of education
4. Family homelessness
5. Consolidating and integrating public health, family and parental assistance, and well-being services
6. Enhancing participation in culture, arts and sport for children and young people affected by poverty.