Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is not a luxury. Sinn Féin has been positive and progressive in terms of how this aspect of our finances could be addressed. While we have put forward proposals, the Government has chosen to ignore them.

Does the Minister not understand the contradiction in her position? She stated the positive effect of social transfer has increased, but the very fact she is cutting one of these social transfers gives lie to what she states. It will now have a negative impact instead of the positive impact she mentioned. Does she not understand the illogical position she has adopted in this case? Child benefit should be ring-fenced. Child poverty is addressed not only through this mechanism but through other mechanisms also, some of which the Minister has come to of late.

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