Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the input she had into the decisions to cut child benefit in budget 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40351/11]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the input she had into the decisions to cut the income disregard for lone parents in budget 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40354/11]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the input she had into the cuts to the back to school allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40352/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 39 and 51 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform initiated a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure last May which was designed to provide the Government with a complete set of decision options which would essentially achieve the following -

Ø Re-align spending with the priorities set out in the Government Programme;

Ø Meet the overall fiscal consolidation objectives, both in terms of total expenditure and staffing numbers reduction targets; and

Ø Explore new and innovative ways of delivering Government policy in a reformed public service.

In accordance with the terms of the Review, Ministers and their Departments had primary responsibility for evaluating budgetary programmes for which they were responsible. Ministers also had collective responsibility for the consideration of the overall package of measures which were considered and decided on, including measures relating to programmes administered by the Department of Social Protection, such as the One Parent Family Payment, the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and Child Benefit. Having regard to the doctrines of collective responsibility and Cabinet confidentiality, I believe it would be inappropriate for me to make further comment on these matters.