Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

That is why the budget analysis that the Department commissioned shows that this budget has benefited families with children, including lone parents, because as the Deputy knows, child benefit is a universal payment that is generally paid to the mother. It is paid to people regardless of whether they are in work or out of work. I would have thought the Deputy would have welcomed the improvement in child benefit. As the economy progresses and as people go back to work, we hope to repeat the measure in this year's budget for next year.

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