Research has revealed that the gap between the health of better-off and poorer children is recognisable at the age of three and widens over time.
It is one of the findings of the "Growing Up in Ireland" study of over 8,000 children conducted just before the banking collapse of 2008.
The Taoiseach has confessed that the Government has to respond to significant challenges revealed by the survey.
From the age of three, better-off children's health status extended its lead over the health of poorer kids.
One in ten children had a chronic disease or disability and one in four were overweight.
Even after the Government's cut in child services and of benefits for third and subsequent children, it believes it can bolster children's emotional and social well-being.
The study also found that 15%-20% of the children surveyed experienced a significant level of emotional and social difficulty.
It found that mother-child closeness was important for girls, but not for boys, and that fathers' depression was not directly related to children's difficulties.
The research also found that 20% of parents said their children spent an hour-and-a-half each weekday doing homework.
But only 1% of teachers said they gave that much homework.
