Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I want to ask the Taoiseach about one section of a programme for a partnership Government, a point I raised when it was first published in April or March. I am still really confused and am getting more confused by the day as to whether this section is to be implemented. It concerns the linkage of child benefit with school attendance. I raised the issue earlier because I was shocked to see such a right-wing proposal in what is being called a "new politics" programme for Government that would penalise people who rely on child benefit to send their children to school and remove it if their children do not attend school. There is a lot of evidence to show that children do not attend school for many reasons. It is not because their parents are spending the money in the gambling shop or pub and do not give a damn about them. It is often because they have issues relating to disability or are being bullied or because their special needs are not being met at school. They are often related to economic and developmental problems in the family. Penalising those families by removing child benefit will do little or nothing to address the attendance of children at school.

I was shocked to see it. Subsequently, I think the Minister for Social Protection said in this House - he certainly said it in front of me on RTE - that he was not in favour of this measure. I believe he then said in this House that the measure would not be implemented. This morning's edition of the Irish Daily Mailreported that the Minister with responsibility for communications, climate change and natural resources, an "Endapendent" whose baby this is because he is the one who has been promoting it, said that this is not going away, that he is going to put it to the floor of the House and that he believes he has enough support among Deputies, parents and teachers to implement it. I am particularly concerned that he believes he has the support of a majority of teachers. I do not know from where he gets that evidence.

Could the Taoiseach, the Minister for Social Protection or the Minister with responsibility for communications, climate change and natural resources clarify who is telling the truth here? Will the measure to link school attendance and child benefit be implemented under the programme for a partnership Government? Will the Minister with responsibility for communications, climate change and natural resources pursue this issue on the floor of this House despite the Minister for Social Protection's pronouncement that it will not be pursued?

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