Nearly a third of all children were considered to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2013, according to official figures.

The National Statistics Office’s survey on income and living conditions shows that 32 per cent of children were on the border line of poverty and 11.8 per cent of those under 18 were living in severely materially-deprived households.

It also resulted that children in households with five or more members were less at risk of poverty than children living in single-parent households.

According to the data compiled, 16.7 per cent of children were living in households that could not afford a meal with meat, chicken, fish or a vegetarian equivalent every other day.

Also, more than a quarter of children were living in conditions where unexpected financial expenses could not be met.

Based on perceptions that emerged from the survey, 22.9 per cent of children were living in households that found it difficult to keep the home adequately warm in winter.