Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail)

These increases mean that in the period Fianna Fáil has been in office rates of child benefit have more than trebled. This benefit is paid to every family in the country. It is the fairest and most direct means of ensuring that we alleviate child poverty. There is no cut in that area.

Let us look at some of the things we propose to do and the criticisms levelled against us. We cannot continue to spend as if there was no tomorrow. We must look at how we spend. It is prudent to refocus our attitude towards spending to ensure the money we pay out goes to the people who need it most. People talk about the back to work education allowance. I know for a fact that some people give up jobs and go on to the live register for a period of six to nine months prior to applying for the back to work education allowance for third level education. That is a fact. By increasing it to 15 months, we will ensure that the people who—