Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Section 4 deals with the changes to the current entitlement to the payment of a half-rate qualified child increase in a number of cases, such as carer's benefit and State contributory pension.

I oppose this vehemently. What is the prescribed amount? Is it €400 or not? What is it? These are changes to the margins and greatly affect the people in question. By how much would a person who is caught in this trap be affected? How much would such a person lose per week? The same person could be affected by the changes in child benefit. If the two are added together how much would a person lose in that instance?

Is this not contrary to the Minister's claim that there has not been a cut in welfare rates? The effect of this section is to make two cuts within one.

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