On 3 September 2026, Taoiseach Micheál Martin will host the Child Poverty and Well-being Summit in the Axis Arts and Community Resource Centre Ballymun.
At a time when many are concerned about the consequences of young people feeling increasingly disconnected, community is more important than ever. Children explore and expand their worlds through the things happening in their local or wider community like a sports team, a youth club, or a dance group. While many children can take these opportunities for granted, unfortunately that is not true for all children. Especially those whose families are experiencing poverty, homelessness, or related challenges.
The theme of the Summit is ‘Every Child: Tackling poverty to build inclusion, well-being and social cohesion’. Every child should have the chance for play, imagination and friendship. The Summit will bring together policymakers, practitioners, communities and young people to examine how tackling poverty can enable the participation and inclusion of every child.
The Summit is an opportunity to continue to build momentum towards realising the Government’s national target to reduce child poverty to 3% or less by the end of 2030.
The Taoiseach will deliver the opening address, which will be followed by a ‘Keynotes from Experience’ panel chaired by Bruce Adamson, former Scottish Children and Young People’s Commissioner. This session will include perspectives from practitioners working on the ground with children facing significant challenges.
Later a Ministerial panel will discuss recommendations from the National Youth Assembly on Play and Recreation. Participants in the panel will include: the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality; the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Minister for Social Protection; the Minister for Health; and the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance will deliver the closing address.
Speaking ahead of the Summit, the Taoiseach said:
The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris said:
Minister of State Séan Canney said:
Children’s participation will be a central part of the Summit, which will feature an exhibition of children’s art, a live music lesson from a local school choir, a performance from a local dance group, a performance from young musicians, and questions to the Taoiseach from young people from Ballymun Regional Youth Resource (BRYR).
The Summit will be attended in person by 200 participants from a range of sectors, and will also be livestreamed to reach participants around the country. A recording of the event will be available in due course on www.gov.ie/childpoverty.
