Child poverty projections ‘truly shocking’ says SVP

Child poverty could be as high as 21% if the economy fails to recover by the end of the year, according to a study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

The figures “are, sadly, not surprising” said Kieran Stafford, National President of St Vincent De Paul.

“Child poverty is already at an unacceptable level, but this particular difficulty that we find ourselves in is only going to drive that higher due to the economic fallout,” he said.

“We’re at 16% at the moment and worse case is to go up to 20%, which is truly shocking for a relatively wealthy western country to have those kinds of figures.”

Mr Stafford said that children are the “most vulnerable” in an economic downturn, and that the pandemic has cut them off from additional supports.

“There are huge challenges for parents in those situations, trying to keep up with all the additional costs, as well as losing a job or potentially two jobs in the house.”

The new Government has not committed to doing what’s required to tackle the high levels of child poverty, Mr Stafford added.

“What’s really lacking is that there isn’t an all-of-Government strategy to tackle poverty. If they all pulled themselves together and came up with a strategy, we have some hope. But certainly not in the present guise.”