AISSN Webinar Briefing: Cash Transfers for Children: The Story in the Republic of Ireland and Scotland

On May 6th, the AISSN hosted our second webinar in the our child poverty series.

This explored cash transfers to children, with Dr Barra Roantree (TCD) and Professor Stephen Sinclair (Chair, Poverty and Inequality in Scotland).

Barra will outlined his research on the proposal to introduce a means-tested second-tier of child benefit in the Republic of Ireland and the impact it would have on child poverty. Barra noted the relative persistence of child poverty, and that whilst the proposal is notable, there are questions concerning the suitability of the proposed payment.

Stephen provided a short overview of the background, development and implementation of the Scottish Child Payment and discussed evidence of its impact. Stephen noted that whilst there is potential evidence that the Child Payment has contributed to a reduction in child poverty, it is difficult to attribute this solely to this change. This is because it is one element of a broader Child Poverty Strategy

Dr Barra Roantree is an Assistant Professor in Economics and Programme Director of the MSc in Economic Policy at Trinity College Dublin. His research focuses on the design of the tax and welfare system, and the evolution and distribution of living standards in Ireland. Barra previously worked as an economist at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in Dublin and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) in London. He was also a member of the Irish Government’s 2021-22 Commission on Taxation and Welfare whose report you can find here.

Professor Stephen Sinclair is Chair of the Poverty and Inequality Commission and Professor of Social Policy and Co-Director of the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit  at Glasgow Caledonian University. He is Chair of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Poverty & Social Justice and has been a member of the Child Poverty Action Group’s UK Policy Committee and Scottish Advisory Committee since 2015. He has authored and contributed to numerous academic texts and other outputs on different aspects of social policy, with a particular focus on child poverty, welfare reform, devolution and social innovation.