Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

The failing is that the Minister is examining what he is giving people rather than what they can do with it. A total of 20% of children in Ireland are at risk of poverty and one in nine is in consistent poverty. The Minister has not given a specific reply on whether this payment will be introduced. However, proposals have also been made to tax child benefit recipients to pay for the second tier support if it is introduced. Can the Minister rule that out?

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