The Government has been urged to spend more on welfare payments in the Budget to help children living in poverty.

The Children's Rights Alliance also wants significant supports put in place for families going through homelessness.

Today's Child Poverty Monitor warns if the children most in need are neglected, they are more likely to fail in the future.

Children's Rights Alliance Chief Executive Tanya Ward said poverty stops children from getting ahead in life. 

“We’ve got about 260,000 children at the moment experiencing deprivation,” she said. 

“What we know is it has a very negative effect on them and their life chances.

“They’re less likely to be very hopeful about their future and they’re more likely to fail in school and [not] complete the school cycle.” 

The Social Welfare Office on Thomas Street, Dublin. Photo: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Ms Ward said the current level of social welfare is insufficient and has failed to keep up with the rising cost of living over the past few years. 

“Some key groups of children have been left behind,” she said. 

“If we take, for example, children whose parents are in receipt of welfare payments. 

“The Government has failed to provide really any kind of substantial increase on those payments. 

“Last year, €2 a week was what those families got and it didn’t even cover the price of a 2 litre [bottle] of milk.” 

According to the CSO, 13.1% of people were at risk of poverty in 2022.

Main image: Worn out shoes of a little boy.