Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection

Report on Child and Family Income Support: Discussion

1:30 pm

Ms Camille Loftus:

It depends on the parameters one sets it at. If one only made the current personal credits refundable, it would be much lower than FIS. Britain, before it started to deconstruct its system under a regressive series of proposals from the Government of Prime Minister Cameron, had a system which was not bad in this regard. It had a refundable tax credit in respect of children, a refundable tax credit in respect of child care and a refundable tax credit in respect of work. That allows one a great deal of flexibility in delivering exactly the kind of support one wants into households.