Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In Sinn Féin we are very concerned about the proposals in the Mangan report, as they will not tackle child poverty and will only increase it. We urge the Minister to disregard the proposals in the report as they would be deeply damaging and will add further strain to low and middle-income earners. Far from achieving efficiencies or protecting the most vulnerable, they will only exacerbate child poverty. Child poverty is on the increase in the State, going from 6.3% in 2008 to 9.3% in 2011, and we know it is continuing to rise. We have seen evidence of hardship on a daily basis on the street and in constituency offices. These recommendations will further impoverish lower and middle range earners who are being constantly squeezed.

The Government continuously points to the fact that high earners receive child benefit as an argument to cut or tax the payment. If the Government is intent on tackling high earners, it should take on board Sinn Féin's proposals for a third tax band of 48% on incomes over ¤100,000. This would return more to the Exchequer than any cut or tax on child benefit. People have said that the well-off should not get awards but these people never argue that such high earners should be taxed more. I do not understand such a line of thinking, and if we want the wealthy to pay their way, tax is the obvious choice. I would expect the application of Senator Healy Eames to Sinn Féin in this regard, as she will join us on the taxation model.