Minister for Social and Family Affairs Séamus Brennan is planning to introduce a number of measures in the Budget aimed at supporting the estimated 120,000 children affected by poverty.
Mr Brennan has asked agencies such as the Combat Poverty Agency and the National Economic and Social Council for a second tier of supports, in addition to child benefit, targeted at those most in need.
"I am not interested in arguing about the numbers or squabbling over the various types of methodology used in surveys.
"What I am interested in is confronting the blemish on the Ireland of the 21st century of children having to endure poverty, deprivation and distress," Mr Brennan said.
One of the measures under consideration is a plan to combine existing support schemes, such as the Family Income Supplement and the Child Dependant Allowance.
The Minister was speaking at the launch of Combat Poverty's three-year strategic plan to address poverty in Ireland. The strategy includes three main objectives:
Combat Poverty director Helen Johnston said the plans linked into the wider aim of working towards a poverty-free society.
"A poverty-free society is one where everyone is valued and has the opportunity to make the best of themselves and participate actively," she said.
"It is a fair and just society where there is equality and peace and where everyone has an adequate standard of living and access to good-quality services."
Ms Johnson said the European experience showed substantial reductions in poverty could be achieved and maintained in conjunction with economic growth.
"The question we must address in working for a poverty-free society is: can we devise and implement strategies that do more to reduce poverty as they promote the country's economic growth?" Ms Johnson said.
Betty Ashe, manager of St Andrew's Jobs Centre in Pearse Street, Dublin, said areas such as the south inner city were making progress in the "long, slow haul of breaking the cycle of poverty".
Ms Ashe, a mother of four who grew up in Pearse Street, said awareness and access to education was one of the most important ways of loosening the grip of poverty.
"Money alone doesn't guarantee improved quality of life. Starting with childcare development and training as the first step and continuing through the youth service, [we need] adult education and many other initiatives all working in an integrated way to combat poverty and improve quality of life for all our people," she said.
"We have won many skirmishes against poverty, but the battle continues against breaking the cycle of poverty through education and awareness of the importance of education in that battle."
