Irish minister for children James Reilly was challenged on his knowledge of child poverty rates at a United Nations committee on Thursday. Addressing the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, Dr Reilly said child poverty and family homelessness were the two most important children’s rights issues in Ireland. The minister is leading a delegation of senior civil servants and legal advisors, as Ireland is examined on its compliance with the Convention of the Rights of the Child. The state was last examined by the committee ten years ago. Norwegian commissioner Kirsten Sandberg said, ‘It is my understanding that the level of consistent child poverty last year in Ireland was one in nine.’ 330,000 people lost their jobs in the recession, which had an enormous impact on Irish society. A family escapes poverty when the head of the household has a job paying more than welfare.