Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I join colleagues in saying that the families of those bereaved by what happened in Berkeley a year ago are in our thoughts and prayers today. Many of those who were injured are on a long road to recovery and I hope they make as full a recovery as possible.

There were reports in the media yesterday that child benefit would no longer automatically be paid to mothers under proposals which are being examined by the Minister for Social Protection. Is it true that the Government proposes to muck around with the payment of child benefit? Since 1974 and the introduction of payment to mothers by one of my predecessors, Frank Cluskey, child benefit has served this country and women and children in particular very well. Is this going to be part of the forthcoming paternity legislation or is it proposed for the social welfare Bill? There is a well known idea that if something is not broken, one should not fix it.

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