Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Mansergh in asking why the Rossiter case is not being heard in Clonmel, which would facilitate the family. After all, they are at the heart of this hearing and should be accommodated. With reference to the costs, anyone who can earn €1,000 per day should be very happy to be in that position. I hope that the Rossiter family will be able to engage someone who is very good and who is willing to represent them for €1,000 per day, but no more than that.

Yesterday I attended the launch of a report by the End Child Poverty coalition in the Mansion House. Some very startling figures were presented on the numbers of children living in poverty here and some frightening stories were also related. We are all aware of children who are at risk of poverty. I call for a debate on this issue because at a time when our economy is doing so well, we should not have families of four living in one-bedroom bed and breakfast accommodation for up to two years.

The End Child Poverty coalition has asked that the child benefit issue be addressed in the forthcoming budget. Child benefit did not reach its maximum level last year, as the Government had promised it would. The Government promised that child benefit would reach €200 by 2003. That has not happened to date but perhaps it will happen this year. The coalition has asked that, in light of the failure to reach the promised level, the balance be index-linked so whatever people have lost out on over the last number of years will be made up. That would help, in a small way, to address the poverty that exists.