Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I wish to follow up on the issue of child benefit and its importance to children and families. There has been much misinformed debate in the past 48 hours. Does the Taoiseach accept the principle that child benefit helps to reduce the level of poverty for disadvantaged families and that a cut to this payment would be a nightmare for them? Does he accept that child benefit is not a slush fund for the rich but is a huge help to families, particularly those women and children at risk in dysfunctional families where the partner or husband controls the purse strings? All Deputies are aware of this in their clinics. Does the Taoiseach agree that it is all very well for the likes of Michael O'Leary and other rich people to dismiss it out of hand, but for many families, child benefit can be a matter of life and death? Does he also accept that if he was to dig deeper into child poverty problems, he would se one of the ways out of child poverty is through child benefit? Does he accept that these are the facts for many poor families? I, therefore, ask him not to cut child benefit.

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