Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I must remark on this week's lack of business. I have asked the Taoiseach on a number of occasions if he could schedule an urgent debate on the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council report, which is almost four weeks old. It goes to the heart of some of the significant economic challenges we face and it voices significant concerns. I would have thought we could have had the debate yesterday or today, so important is that report as an independent, objective assessment of where we are fiscally and so on.

I refer to forthcoming legislation relating to children. People are worried about what they are reading and about the leaks concerning significant reductions in child benefit payments down to €100 with a scheme of top-ups. Will the Tánaiste confirm when the Children First Bill is coming on stream? Will he confirm whether there will be reductions in child benefit in the forthcoming budget?

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