Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)

The Minister has had much experience over the years with the matter I wish to discuss briefly, the historical significance of child benefit. I tend to call it children's allowance but that is because I have been around a great deal longer than others. I will take the historical point of view on this, even if some people might accuse me of being discriminatory. Of all the payments that have been made through social welfare or, indeed, from any other source, none has been as significant or beneficial as child benefit. The reason is that it was invariably paid to the mothers of Ireland.

In my experience, before there was a Celtic tiger economy and even since then, child benefit for many women is the only payment they can call their own. There are many women in this country, and they are not all in the lower income groups, who experience meanness on the part of their spouses, and in my experience there are many mean men. As a result, every month a huge number of women at every level is society have nothing else to count on aside from child benefit.

If a value for money audit of child benefit was carried out, I believe it would show that it gives the best value for any money paid by the State. It goes specifically to children, irrespective of their economic circumstances. Whatever else the Minister does next week, she must not interfere with child benefit. It would be a shocking thing to do. Even though they will not say it openly, I have made the case for people who, unfortunately for them, are tied into a situation whereby, irrespective of what income comes into the household, all they can claim as their own is child benefit. It should not be cut off. Is my time up?

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