Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

----- child benefit in Northern Ireland is £102.50 per month for the first child and £67.70 per month for each additional child. Moreover, the adult rate for jobseeker's allowance and benefit in Northern Ireland is £78.33 for an individual and £122.95 for a couple. The rate here will continue to be €188 for an individual and €312.80 for a couple. Payments to carers also will be maintained and the half-rate carer's allowance will continue to be paid to those who are full-time carers and who are in receipt of another welfare payment.

One must provide context to this Social Welfare Bill. Those who will pore over these debates for historical purposes must know that the loans that are financing our day-to-day spending are subject to the condition that we reduce our deficit to 3% of gross domestic product by 2015. While the Government has been obliged to take some tough decisions, in fairness it has preserved the basic rates. It also has acknowledged a mistake it made and is moving to address it. The Government is trying to create labour market activation measures that will move people from dependence on social protection into work and is doing its best in that regard.

See this speech in context