Vol. 465 No. 7
9 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to implement any of the recommendations in the recent Barnardo's document entitled "Children First" and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10370/96]
In relation to my Department, the document in question calls on the Government to combat the growing problem of child and family poverty. The universal child benefit payment is one of the most important State supports for children and for families. More than one million children and almost half a million families benefit from it.
Significant improvements were introduced in the monthly rates of child benefit in 1995 and again in 1996. The new rates from September 1996 will be £29 for each of the first two children and £34 for the third and subsequent children. Over the two years involved, a 45 per cent increase has been provided in respect of the first two children and a 36 per cent increase for other children. In addition, since last year child benefit is payable up to age 19 for those in full-time education. Further improvements have been made in the family income supplement for families at work on low pay and in the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance. A new grant of £500 has been introduced for twins at birth, at age four and at age 12.
Last October, the Minister established the Commission on the Family to examine the needs and priorities of families in the rapidly changing social and economic environment. The commission will recommend to the Government how families can best be facilitated in the support and development of individual members, it will make an interim report to Government by October 1996 and a final report by June 1997.
The recommendations in the Barnardo's document will, of course, be borne in mind in the context of further improvements in child income support being considered.
We do not have a good record in child protection and I would like to know what child protection measures the Minister proposes to introduce, having regard to the recommendations in the Barnardo's document and the reports on the Kilkenny incest and Kelly Fitzgerald cases. For example, is it proposed to provide for the mandatory reporting of child abuse, to set up an effective child abuse register or to introduce effective new juvenile legislation?
Those are not matters for my Department.
The Minister could be supportive of them.
My colleague and I have responsibility for social affairs and social welfare payments for children and the family, the matters raised in the question.
