Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the additional question on this issue. I referred to this issue earlier in the debate on the Adoption (Amendment) Bill because it came up in that context. As I said then, I am aware of the fact that we have a commitment to reform the monitoring of child benefit payments by amalgamating school attendance monitoring systems in order to address poor attendance within some families. That is contained in the programme for Government. As my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Leo Varadkar, indicated in response to some questions on this issue, he, Deputy Bruton and I have talked with our Departments, and I have talked to Tusla, to see if looking at the reform of the monitoring of child benefit would be an effective tool to ensure the school attendance of our children. To date, what has come back is that it will not be an effective tool and we are listening to that advice. That is not to say that I will not continue to have discussions. The Deputy is aware that my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Deputy Denis Naughten, has put forward some of these proposals. I will discuss and listen to him in that regard but as far as I am concerned I am listening to Tusla and the other Departments. It is not about cutting child benefit; it is about making sure all children who need our help with school attendance are given it. It is especially through the school completion programme that we can focus on that.

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