Ivana Bacik (Independent)

We need a debate on universality as the Government has clearly placed the principle under attack. The Minister for Finance declared last week that he was reviewing the universality of child benefit payment. He has already tried to change the universal provision of medical cards for the over 70s in a botched and haphazard way. The European principle is that we supply public services to people on the basis of their ability to pay, through income tax, and we then supply these services on the basis of universal access. People pay higher taxes and this funds national primary schooling which is accessible to all, in the same way that medical cards should be accessible to all and child benefit should be payable to all children, irrespective of their parents' income. This important principle should be defended. It is disgraceful that the Minister for Finance has placed it under attack.