The children's charity Barnardos yesterday published a "children's budget" which it said would help end child poverty if implemented by the Government.
Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay said the budget focused on the key elements which make a difference to quality of children's lives - school, medical attention, parental income and somewhere to play.
"We developed the children's budget prioritising these issues because through our work with children and their families we know these are the areas that have the greatest impact on children's lives," Mr Finlay said.
The pre-budget submission also draws on interviews with children over how their lives could be improved.
The recommendations put forward include:
- A new targeted child income support
- Increased investment by local authorities in play and recreational facilities for children
- A comprehensive primary school pupil database
- A national school book rental scheme
- Universal quality free early childhood education and care places for all children the year prior to joining primary school
- An extension of full medical card coverage to all families whose total income is taxed at 20 per cent
- The establishment of child and adolescent community mental health teams
"Minister for Social Affairs Séamus Brennan is on the record as saying he wants to end child poverty and it is also Government policy. Yet families are getting caught in official poverty traps," said Barnardos director of advocacy Norah Gibbons.
"For example, the Government initially promised 200,000 medical cards to families in need - many of whom are on low pay - but then substituted this with the introduction of GP-only medical cards, leaving families still paying the cost of medicines."
She said that education was crucial in tackling poverty, yet there was no database of primary school children to track up to 1,000 children who fall out of the education system between primary and secondary school.
Other practical measures were needed, she said, such as a school book loan or grant system.
Ms Gibbons added: "Children also need to play and what is currently being provided is woefully inadequate."
