Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

I have met a large number of the 30 or 40 groups involved in this area and the vast majority of them opted for child benefit, which has increased dramatically in recent years. They opted for that as the main focus because it goes to all homes irrespective of employment whereas child dependant allowance is linked primarily to unemployment and, therefore, one has to be unemployed to get it. That means that by being unemployed, the child dependant allowances go up in that home. One does not need to be a sociologist to understand that child benefit is a better payment but I have an open mind. I have been convinced at this point that that is the better way.

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