Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)

Child poverty is an extremely important issue from the point of view of the Government. I have no doubt that when Members see the budget that will be announced next week they will see recognition given to the importance of child poverty from the Government's point of view. In terms of a second tier of children's allowance, as the Deputy identified, I cannot give an assurance or confirmation as to what will be in the budget.

I am sure the Deputy will have costed such measures and will appreciate that they will have significant consequences for expenditure elsewhere. I assure her that, as I identified before, the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Chambers, will give careful consideration to what is contained within the Social Democrats' pre-budget submission.

See this speech in context