David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 3, before section 1, to insert the following new section:

"1. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the introduction of a second-tier, employment neutral, child income support payment to target child poverty levels.".

We have been through these issues in some detail already. The basic issue here is child poverty, but we are all agreed that some progress has been made although we may not agree on how child poverty is measured. The Minister made clear this morning that he is not for turning on that.

Unfortunately, there is substantial child poverty in Ireland. The EU-SILC 2005 data gives a figure of 10% of children. The Minister has been promising for over two years that he will provide a second tier employment neutral child income support payment. His bona fides are good and I know he is genuine about this measure and is working hard towards it, but has run into difficulties on it. In fairness, for the first time he has increased the child dependant allowance and has amalgamated the three different levels of payments which has made Deputy McGrath very happy.

We still have an issue with regard to child poverty and still have children in poverty despite all the money available. Last night I mentioned the disregard towards pensions for tax relief which amounts to €3 billion per year, but that is another issue. When will the report be available from the ESRI and when will we see action on it? This matter has been in gestation for two years and it is important we act on it and target child poverty.

Deputy Penrose and I urged the Minister earlier in the year to increase awareness of the family income supplement, FIS. I welcome the Minister's comment this morning that he would try to link Revenue with FIS in some shape or form. If this was possible, it would mean that information on people known to the Revenue to be on low incomes could be shared with the Department of Social and Family Affairs so that a top-up payment could be made automatically. If that was possible, it would be a significant advance and would mean people who do not get the payment because they do not know about it or cannot apply for it would get their payment.

Amendments Nos. 5 and 13 are similar to amendment No. 4 and seek improved early child care income support payments. No extra payment was made for child care in the budget or by way of social welfare this year. I acknowledge that a payment of €1,000 was provided for last year. However, it has not been increased. The take-up with regard to the €10,000 income disregard provision for tax purposes did not work because it was absolutely miserable. I suggest to the Minister that child care is one of the most significant costs facing families. Other EU states are far ahead of us in this regard. The child care issue did not even get a mention in this year's budget which amazed me. I expected the early child care supplement to be increased substantially, but that did not happen.

We need to know the Government's child care policy, which almost seems to be a case of make it up as we go along. I know we now have a Minister of State with responsibility for children and his position has elevated the issue to a higher level. While I have put forward these three amendments, I will not press them because of the nature of the debate.

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