Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The annual rate of expenditure on child benefit has escalated in recent years to €2.53 billion, which is a very substantial sum. The provision of this tax-free benefit is indicative of the Government's commitment in recent years to ensuring that we support families and children. Those who are currently 18 years of age are the ones who have benefited the most from this increase over the years.

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