Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

Okay, I accept that, but that is not the information on the Department's website. If it is the case that the base rate is down to €140 — I will accept the Minister's confirmation, but the officials seem to be giving her contrary information — this means that a family with a single child and three triplets is down €31 per week. I remember the scare stories put out before that we were going to cut the rates for triplets and twins, and the fear among those families was extraordinary. The mental and financial stress on some of these mothers was severe and consideration must be given to them. The abolition of the periodic grant is a massive change for them as well, because they would be looking forward to it as it comes at particular stages in life. The Minister can laugh at the grant being abolished for twins and triplets, but it was given out at important stages when particular costs would arise. It is not a laughing matter. These are very stressful situations.

The Minister has made her value judgment. She has decided to forget about big families. Garrett Fitzgerald did the same in the 1980s when a tax allowance was abolished by the Fine Gael and Labour Party Government of the time. There should not be discrimination against large families, but the Minister's spin that the basic rate is being protected has been shown to be false. I want clarification on the base rate upon which she uses the multiplier for twins and triplets, because there seems to be some confusion.