Proposals to introduce a new second tier of child benefit payment must be one of the policies considered
The latest report from the ESRI shows that 230,000 children lack some of the daily basics in their lives: Children are among the State’s most vulnerable citizens, but over the years many have been failed. The deeply upsetting stories of historic sexual abuse in religious schools which emerged earlier this week was followed by more prosaic news that many of today’s children are in families who cannot meet some basic needs, with some defined as living in poverty.
Policy can make a difference. The ongoing extension of the free primary school meals scheme, for example, provides a basic necessity to an increasing number of children, while free school books helps ensure participation in education. The previous edition of the ESRI study published this week proposed one possible approach. It is a second tier of child benefit payments. Welfare recipients already receive additional payments for children, but the wider second tier would also take in those at work and would be directly targeted at addressing child poverty. And it would clearly do so in a more cost effective way than increasing general child benefit, which gives cash to all families.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
More than 90 complaints made over anti-camping fences along Dublin’s Grand CanalWaterways Ireland previously told Irish Times no ‘formal’ complaints had been made regarding the fencing
Read more »
The Irish Times view on the Focus Ireland report: making the homeless a priorityThe organisation has called for homeless people to be prioritised for new social housing, as happened during the Covid-19 pandemic
Read more »
Irish Times Abroad newsletter: Almost 70,000 emigrated from Ireland in the last yearThe stages of moving abroad; Colm Rush talks about birdwatching in Spain; and Kerry O’Shea compares life in Singapore with life in Ireland
Read more »
The Irish Times view on Ireland’s nature in focus: valiant efforts give cause for hopePeople from diverse backgrounds are making serious efforts to protect biodiversity in Ireland - they need to be supported
Read more »
The Irish Times view on Israel and Ireland: rising diplomastic tensionsIsrael’s megaphone diplomacy will do little to endear it to states with which it supposedly wants to maintain diplomatic relations
Read more »
The Irish Times view on Paris 2024: an inspiring Olympics for IrelandBrilliant arenas, magnificent Parisian backdrops and passionate support have inspired the world’s best athletes to deliver a truly memorable Olympics in which Irish athletes played a big part
Read more »