To live one's childhood in poverty was a "death sentence" , an expert on poverty research said yesterday.
Mr Jim Walsh, Head of Research with the Combat Poverty Agency, was speaking at the publication of the agency's pre-budget submission in Dublin.
Outlining the facts that a quarter of all children (300,000) were living in relative poverty while 6.5 per cent (70,000) were experiencing consistent poverty, he said childhood was "a precious period" and that "childhood poverty can have devastating consequences".
"If you are poor as a child the likelihood of being poor as an adult is far higher."
Relative poverty is defined as living in a household where the income is less than 60 per cent of the average industrial wage while consistent poverty is defined as not having such basics as a warm coat and a hot meal every day.
The agency is prioritising the ending of family and child poverty in its pre-budget submission. Identifying three areas, it is calling for increases in child income support, increases in general welfare rates and improvements in employment supports and access to employment.
While recognising there had been an overall increase in Child Benefit of 173 per cent since 1994, to a current rate of €125.60 per child per month, the agency noted the payment targeted at children in the poorest families had been frozen since 1994. The Child Dependant Allowance (CDA) "has effectively been devalued by 25 per cent", said Mr Walsh. The agency says there should be an overhaul of the payments of CDA so payments were higher for older children.
It is calling for an increase in Child Benefit of €12 per month, and increases in CDA of €2.50 (to €19.30) per week for the under 12s and by €4.80 (to €21.60) per week for the over 12s.
Calling for increases in personal welfare payments by a minimum of €10 per week, Mr Walsh conceded that this was "probably not enough", but might be the most that could be expected.
Among other demands are that the minimum wage be increased to €7 per hour, the breakfast and hot meal scheme be expanded to benefit 100,000 children and that the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance be automatically paid to all long-term welfare recipients with children.
