Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The changes that came about in the family income supplement were designed to support any loss people might experience in regard to the child benefit but I appreciate there was no compensation factor for the early child care supplement. The Department is undertaking a broader review at present of child income support, the value for money review in that area and policy in that area, so it will certainly be examining family income supplement in that context. However, in the current economic circumstances, I cannot foresee a situation where there would be very significant changes that would create a huge financial burden.

See this speech in context