Louise O'Reilly

Hear, hear.

I thank the Deputies for bringing forward the motion. The Government knows well the difference between not opposing something and supporting something. The Minister is around long enough to know the nod in the direction of saying something is a good idea and actively and proactively working for it are two very separate things. I urge the Government to not just not oppose this motion, but also acce…

Nobody said that.

Is there anyone else to blame?

82. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that the measurement 'consistent poverty' obscures the full number of people both at risk of poverty and in material deprivation; if he is aware that 'consistent poverty' fails to account for housing costs; if he will consider using both 'material deprivation' and 'at risk of poverty after housing costs' as alternat…

In keeping with my form, this question is fairly straightforward. It is to do with the use of the measurement of consistent poverty, which obscures the full number of people both at risk of poverty and in material deprivation. I hope the Minister tells me he will do what I am asking, which is to consider alternative measures. We all have an interest in tackling poverty but we cannot do that unless…

The problem is that the level of children in consistent poverty is currently 8.5%, that figure having doubled since 2024. However, the consistent poverty measure, in and of itself, does not account for housing costs. The Minister and I both know that for reasons of Government policy, housing costs are out of control. People who are at risk of poverty or living in consistent poverty are not having …

Is that the dashboard that will be published in early 2026?

Maybe when he comes back in, the Minister can tell me when the dashboard, which will allegedly contain a number of child poverty measurements, will be available. I know it will come from the child poverty unit so is not, strictly speaking, the Minister's Department, but I am sure it will be involved in it. Here is my difficulty. The consistent poverty rate for children is running at 8.5%, double w…

84. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools under contract to a supplier (details supplied) under the hot school meals programme; the number of these schools that exclusively cater to additional educational needs; the number that are DEIS schools; the number that are DEIS+ schools; his plan to provide parents of children affected by the cessation of th…

The question relates to the sudden cessation of an element of the hot school meals programme. I am specifically interested in the number of schools impacted that are DEIS schools or that exclusively cater for children with additional educational needs. The Minister has to be aware that this news came as a bolt out of the blue for parents. It seemed there was no contingency in place when it happene…

We have known for months that at least one in five parents skip meals or reduce their own portions to ensure their children have enough to eat. That underlines the importance of this programme. The Minister's colleague, An Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, has said he will personally intervene in the case of one school in Cork. I have just read a newspaper article in which he confirms that. I do n…

I will give the Minister another chance to tell me what the timeline was regarding when the Department knew about the service withdrawal and when the parents knew. This came as a bolt out of the blue. When you are living on a low income or a fixed income and you are trying to feed kids, you plan ahead. Parents had planned ahead on the basis that their kids would be getting a hot meal in the middle…

On a related note, in the context of waste within the hot school meals programme, I understand the relationship is between the school and the provider but the Minister's Department issues guidelines and those guidelines refer to things like portion size and calories. Will the Minister issue some guidelines regarding age appropriateness? A child of four does not eat the same portion size as a child…

97. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the fact that when custody is split between two separated or divorced co-parents, there is no mechanism by which both co-parents may each receive half of the children's allowance and the children's allowance instead universally goes to the mother regardless of circumstances; if he is aware of the financial hardsh…

I want it to be clear before I put this question that I understand completely why the default is that child benefit goes to the mother. I absolutely respect that. I appreciate where it comes from. However, increasingly I have people coming into my office and contacting my office here in the Dáil to say that they are co-parents, children are not cheap, they split the bills 50:50 and they have acces…

I think so. I respect the reply that the Minister has given and I do not disagree necessarily. However, there are instances increasingly where parents can demonstrate, either with a mandate from the court or, indeed, with an informal arrangement, that they split the custody, the care and, more importantly, the bills - as I said, children are not cheap - 50:50. There is an unfairness there. The rea…

That is a sensible suggestion and one that I will take on board. I welcome the fact that the Minister is not opposed or hostile to the notion that we can look at it. I am not sure exactly what can be done but a conversation on this would be worthwhile at committee. I will engage with the committee Chair and with the Department.

I thank the Deputies for tabling the motion because we cannot speak enough about child poverty. We on the Opposition benches have put forward plenty of solutions. We have flagged to the Government time and again issues as they arise. They arise in our advice clinics and in our offices and we make sure we bring the message directly to the Government. In his opening remarks, the Minister for Social…

Speak directly to the 5,000 homeless kids, Minister. On you go.

There are 5,000 homeless children.

Are you not a bit ashamed?

Are you not a bit ashamed?

Excuse me, a Chathaoirligh. The Minister addressed me directly. I am entitled to respond.

How dare you.