The Government is seeking to establish a unit in the Department of the Taoiseach to coordinate efforts to reduce child poverty and prevent family homelessness.
Ministers discussed the plan at today's Cabinet meeting.
It comes as opposition parties express concern over reports that the Department of Housing was made aware of Notice of Termination figures for the second half of last year, prior to the Government's decision to not extend the eviction moratorium.
When Leo Varadkar returned to the office of the Taoiseach last December, he promised to establish a new unit in his department to tackle child poverty.
That unit will also seek to prevent family homelessness - an aim that was given a cautious welcome today.
Wayne Stanley of the Simon Communities warned that in the absence of housing, all other stated aims will struggle to have an impact.
A report in the Dublin Inquirer has suggested that the Department of Housing was made aware in January of this year by the Residential Tenancies Board that roughly 9,000 notices of termination were issued in the second half of 2022.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said this information should have been made publicly available prior to their no confidence vote last week.
A spokesperson for the minister said that it is not uncommon for the RTB to share preliminary data at official level.
It added that this data would not have been shared with the minister and that the publication of this information is a matter for the RTB.
The new unit to tackle child poverty will build on existing Government policies, such as free schoolbooks for all primary schools, expanding hot school meals, abolishing hospital charges for children and cutting the cost of childcare.
It will look at reducing the cost of education, further cutting the cost of childcare, welfare reforms and public health measures, which include well-being and taking part in sport and cultural activities.
With additional reporting by Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
