Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 11 November 2015

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection

Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage

1:00 pm

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome any change to reverse cuts. Child benefit has now been restored to the average, if one likes, but there were changes to the payment of child benefit for families with more than four children. Is there an indication that the Minister will reconsider that matter in the future? In the past, the Minister said that if money is available some of the cuts would be reversed. That did not happen in other cases but the restoration of child benefit in terms of the average payment was flagged.

Perhaps the committee as a whole could discuss in future the general direction of such payments. Child benefit should be a universal payment but it is important to capture those who are most disadvantaged and who are dependent on social welfare. Rather than have two rates of child benefit, as some suggest, is there an indication that the qualified child allowance would be increased? That would be a way to capture those who are living in poverty and who are most disadvantaged. It would be a more targeted mechanism to ensure the transfers from Government would go to those most at risk of poverty.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.