Irish children are among the highest level of children in the EU to be affected by poverty.
A Eurostat survey was referred to by the European Parliament this week. The results and figures in the survey show that a third of children here are at risk compared with the EU average of 28%.
MEPs called on EU countries to boost their efforts to combat heightening rates of child poverty and social inequalities in the EU.
“In Ireland we have seen child poverty double since Fine Gael and Labour came into Government.” Lynn Boylan of Sinn Fein said.
“We know there are 1500 children in Dublin, who are homeless, so anything that can put the onus on Government, that they have obligations to children, and to lift them out of poverty.”
The number of children going to a homeless day centre in Dublin for emergency food has also increased by nearly two thirds in just one year. The Capuchin Day Centre in Central Dublin has said the numbers of homeless families and children set to receive help from the centre are rising rapidly.
5,100 children were fed by the centre last year, and more than 8,400 are expected this year as the crisis worsens for the homeless.