Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Before Dr. McDonnell moves on from child benefit and the size of it, I have another question. The universal payment is made in respect of every child.

The aim is to try to tackle child poverty with the means-tested portion, the top-up or whatever we want to call it. Is that extra payment at the lower end somewhere on the same scale as the flat rate, or would the maximum be some proportion, perhaps 20%, 50% or 80%, of the current child benefit payment? I am just trying to get an idea of whether this means-tested item would make up the bulk of the child benefit payment or whether it would be a kind of add-on.