Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

-----yet we have no wealth tax. This is the second year in a row that maternity benefit has been targeted. Last year, it was hit by tax at 41% in most cases. Deputy O'Dea gave a figure for that. I am not quite sure if it is the exact figure, but it is a significant figure anyway. This year, maternity benefit will be cut by €32 per week. We are told that the payment is being standardised, but 23,000 of the 23,500 people who benefit from the payment are on the high rate, so they will take a hit of €32 every week. That is a total of €832 each.

During the 2011 election the Minister was knocking on every door and putting Tesco adverts in the newspaper telling us that child benefit would not be touched by the Labour Party. Now, for the second year running, she has attacked child benefit and there is a further reduction in child benefit from 1 January 2014 for fourth and subsequent children. The Minister should be ashamed of herself and should withdraw this section.

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