Policy Considerations in the Irish Case

1. Policy Considerations in the Irish Case Mary Daly University of Oxford

2. Received Wisdom about Addressing Child Poverty • Income plus services • A range of services • Area based approach • Partnership basis • A universal approach or at least a balance between targeted and universal • Parents as well as children need to be targeted

3. Strengths • History and track record in regard to poverty • The New Framework (including the Tusla reorganisation) • The sub-target on child poverty • ABC programme

4. Weaknesses/Challenges • The need for an integrated approach • Extent of prioritising of poverty • Underdevelopment of early childhood initiatives and other services (childcare) • Limited understanding/application of children’s rights

5. Policy Recommendations • Update the national action plan for social inclusion (and within that the child poverty strategy) • Renew a children’s rights approach • Deal with the matter of jobless households and low pay • Apply a consistent policy on income supports for families with children • Further develop a whole range of services • Have to do more for the children whom we are effectively failing