Plans to provide breakfasts and dinners at schools in disadvantaged areas are among proposals in a report commissioned by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs into tackling child poverty, writes Carl O'Brien, Social Affairs Correspondent
The unpublished report by the Combat Poverty Agency, seen by The Irish Times, will feed into plans being drawn up for a initiative in the budget aimed at addressing consistent child poverty, which affects up to 120,000 children.
The report also recommends index-linking child benefit payments, increasing a range of welfare payments for school costs such as clothing and footwear, and childcare support for low-income families.
Another report commissioned by the Minister, Séamus Brennan, from the State think-tank the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), is also understood to examine the option of introducing a second-tier of child benefit targeted at the poorest families.
This report, due to be finalised shortly, is believed to examine the option of combining existing welfare benefits which have the same profile as child benefit - such as the Family Income Supplement and the Child Dependant Allowance - into a targeted additional welfare payment.
The size of the payment has yet to be decided, but is likely to be a significant addition to the monthly child benefit, which is worth between €142 and €177 per child.
Mr Brennan is expected to make a formal announcement on what measures the Government intends once talks on the forthcoming budget are completed.
The Combat Poverty report, completed recently, outlines three broad ways of addressing child poverty: welfare payments, welfare-to-work measures, and developmental initiatives designed at boosting the "life chances" of poor children.
Under welfare payments, the report recommends index-linking child benefit; increasing clothing and footwear allowances from €80 to €150; reforming the school book scheme to provide an entitlement for low-income pupils; and promoting book rental schemes.
It also says a school dinner and breakfast scheme should be introduced in disadvantaged areas.
Under welfare-to-work measures, it recommends a childcare support for low-income families, and an information campaign to promote the uptake of welfare supports such as the Family Income Supplement.
In the area of developmental measures it recommends:
provision of pre-school for three- to four-year-olds; trained child assistants in all infant classes in disadvantaged areas;
the piloting of child resource centres, combining health, education, childcare, pre-school and recreation, in disadvantaged neighbourhoods;
increasing thresholds for medical card eligibility;
and expansion and development of existing special initiatives for children at high risk of poverty, such as the Springboard programme.
The report says any attempt to tackle the child poverty issue will require additional public investment in financial supports and services for children.