Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

It is a pretty serious issue. It is time the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government came to the House to discuss the delays in paying student grants. I have been in contact with a student in Cork who has been living in a car for nine weeks. I am aware of the case of a student in Galway who was allowed by the college to repeat his exams on medical grounds after he required surgery, but was not given a grant for this year. The colleges' welfare officers have given me information about these cases. I have heard about a student mother who is having to live off free food so she does not starve. She is using her welfare payments to feed her children. The Minister, Deputy Gormley, must address the untold hardship that is being caused by the delay in paying grants. It seems that local authorities will not have the money to make grant payments until January. It is not fair on the students, it is leading to drop-outs and it is increasing poverty and stress levels.

Can the Leader clarify whether the Minister for Social and Family Affairs is proposing to withdraw child benefit from Irish children in the forthcoming budget, while continuing to pay child benefit to foreign children who do not reside in Ireland? I understand that back payments have been made in some cases, to cover each child's entitlement since the day his or her parents started to work in Ireland. It would be grossly unfair if the Minister were to take such action in the budget. Child benefit has been a poverty-proofing measure. We know from this country's history that the wives and partners of certain high-profile people with large incomes have had to depend on child benefit payments to feed their children. I would like the Leader to answer the question I have asked. I would have a huge issue with any proposal to make Irish children take second place behind children who live outside this State.