Social Justice Ireland has warned the Government against cutting child benefit in any form in the upcoming budget.
The organisation’s director Fr Sean Healy appeared before the Oireachtas jobs, social protection and education this morning to outline the potential impact on the poor of suggested budgetary measures that have been outlined to date.
“Social Justice Ireland believes there is absolutely no justification whatsoever to reducing child benefit in any form, either by reducing it or taxing it or means-testing it or using vouchers,” Fr Healy said.
He said it was unfair to suggest money be taken away from households with children, while households without children could remain untouched.
“That seems just to be perverse in the extreme. What we’re suggesting is leave the money with the children and if you need extra money take it from everyone, take it from across the system.”
Fr Healy’s colleague Sr Brigid Reynolds said she thought any suggestion that the Government might offer vouchers in lieu of child benefit to ensure the money was spent on children was “very degrading, especially of women”.
She said that where there was “criminal neglect” of children, such cases should be dealt with in the proper way, “but most parents would spend their last penny on their children”.
Labour TD Aodhán O’Riordan said he agreed such vouchers would be the “final insult” to struggling families. Mr O’Riordan added: “There have been lots of kites flown in recent weeks playing with people’s emotions, unfairly in my view”.
Independent deputy John Halligan said it would be “disastrous” for the Government to “touch” child benefit. Mr Halligan said he met many women “from across income levels” who needed the money.
Fine Gael Senator Michael Mullins said he welcomed Social Justice Ireland’s proposal to increase the tax take from internet gambling.
However, Mr Mullins claimed there was a “major flaw” in the proposal to introduce an income-contingent loan scheme for third-level students to pay their fees and cover living costs. He said small businesses were currently finding it difficult to get loans from the banking sector.
