Barnardos has launched a seven-step campaign which it says could lift thousands of children out of poverty if the Government implements the measure.
The charity's national campaign, which focuses on the emotional, social and physical exclusion of children in poverty, comes as Budget negotiations take place on funding for next year.
Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay yesterday said the State had the resources to break the cycle of poverty, but needed to demonstrate whether it had the political will.
"What poverty means in reality is that one in seven children in Ireland goes to bed without having had a substantial meal. It means kids are cold in bed at night because there's no heating in their house, or if there is, their parents cannot afford to turn it on.
"This is the cold hard reality of the lives of one in seven children in this country today, and this is in a country which has pledged to cherish all the children of the nation equally."
The seven steps are:
r Raising incomes for families with children living in poverty
r Improving educational outcomes for all children
r Introducing preschool schemes or early childhood education and care
r eradicating health inequalities so that every child has access to healthcare
r improving housing standards for children at risk
r making work pay enough so families can escape poverty traps
r ensuring policies relating to children have a positive impact through "joined-up" Government structures.
Barnardos director of advocacy Norah Gibbons said this would go a long way towards honouring the Government's commitments to end child poverty by 2007.
The charity says that despite the economic growth of the last decade, poverty among children is widespread. It estimates that its work affects about 12,000 children every year.
Minister for Social Affairs Séamus Brennan has said he is planning to introduce a payment targeted at children living in poverty, which is likely to include an additional child benefit payment.
The size of the payment has yet to be decided, but is likely to be a significant addition to the monthly child benefit, now worth from €142 to €177 for each child.
A report by Combat Poverty on tackling child deprivation, submitted to the Minister recently, recommends measures such as index-linking child-benefit payments, increasing some welfare payments and childcare support for low-income families.
