Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is very welcome to the House. I thank her for bringing the report before us as we have been awaiting it for some time. The debate about child benefit is an important one. For a long time the payment has gone specifically to the mother for the benefit of children.

The question we face is if we should continue with it as it is, where everyone gets the same amount, or should we target it to people according to need. In principle, I support a universal payment because it sends a strong message to society that we value children and we must never lose that. We have seen that we have a history of shame in this country where we have not valued children. Let us not forget that. The report states that clearly as well.

Child benefit might be a universal payment but that does not mean all children or families should get the same amount. There are two major proposals: the two tier system or the tax system. Initially, I favoured a two tier system but I have since studied the topic and I am now coming down on the side of taxation. There are 90 people in the Letterkenny office that delivers child benefit and that is a lot of people. The Minister is working with limited resources and trying to do the loaves and fishes every year. When setting up this new system, we must ensure the system is fair so those who deserve child benefit get it. The Revenue Commissioners should be able to take care of this because once it is set up, it should be easily processed through the taxation system. I agree it will be difficult to set up - look at what happened with SUSI.