More than 200,000 children in Ireland are living below the poverty line while 500 vulnerable youngsters were recorded as homeless on Census night.
Charities have demanded Government action after official figures revealed almost a fifth of households with children were struggling to survive below the breadline – and warned the rate would soar to 38% without family allowances.
The income of households with children also fell four times more than childless households between 2009 and 2010, found the latest survey on income and living conditions by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).