Barnardos Budget Reaction: Targeted supports in Budget 2026 will reduce pressures on low income families

Tuesday 7th October 2025. Over the past few months the Taoiseach has made it clear that reducing child poverty and deprivation was a priority issue for his Government and Budget 2026. Last month the Minister for Social Protection published new ambitious child poverty targets.

Today we have seen some targeted actions set out to back up these commitments. In particular, increasing the child support payment substantially and expanding eligibility of fuel allowance will be welcomed by many of the families we support reducing some financial pressures and placing them in a better position to provide their children with day to day essentials. As will extending the back to school allowance to two and three year olds.

The commitment to introduce a DEIS Plus model with specific allocated funding alongside significant increases to capitation rates will help address educational disadvantage. However, it’s unfortunate to see minimal to no increased support for the over 5,000 children living in emergency accommodation.

It is welcome to see an increase in Tusla’s budget, which will hopefully be used to help community and voluntary sector organisations working alongside it to support increasing referrals of vulnerable children and families. Appropriately funding services that can work with these families when issues emerge prevents children’s problems becoming entrenched, escalating through the system and children ending up in care, placing more demands on the system.

Barnardos CEO Suzanne Connolly said: “It is clear across our services that what families need is increased financial support to provide their children with basic essentials and faster access to vital services. Today’s budget will have gone some way to reducing financial pressures some our families face and improving funding for services supporting development, wellbeing and safety of children”.

ENDS