Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The Government decided to increase child benefit because agreement could not be reached the last time the matter was examined comprehensively by the various groups. The Government was faced with a decision when there was total disagreement among the main organisations. It decided that changes in the child benefit system represented the best way of making progress. Having listened carefully to the organisations in question on this occasion, the Government is trying to make some further improvements. That some 220,000 people have child care needs is a major issue. I acknowledge that the Government has to try to make progress. The Government has succeeded in providing 30,000 child care places in not-for-profit community crèches under the equal opportunities child care programme. It has completed what it set out to do, which was to treble child benefit, so now it needs to try to do something else.

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