Tony Gregory
Question:419 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25878/06]
View answerTuesday, 4 July 2006
Questions (408)
Written answers
The Regulations, which are the subject matter of the correspondence in question, provide that child benefit should be paid to one parent and give priority to the mother in determining which of two parents is entitled to the benefit. This policy was endorsed in a number of fora, for example the Commission on the Status of Women (1972 and 1974) and the Department's Child Benefit Review Committee (1995), and given further support in a commissioned report published in 1994 by the Combat Poverty Agency ("Income Distribution within Irish Households"). However, in the context of significant social changes which have taken place in recent years, a number of issues have arisen in relation to the rules which govern the payment of child benefit. These rules are currently being reviewed within my Department.
More generally, my Department is engaged in carrying out a technical review of the entire social welfare code to examine its compatibility with the Equal Status Act 2000 (as amended). The review will examine the schemes and services provided for both in social welfare legislation and the administrative schemes operated by the Department. It is intended to identify any instances of direct or indirect discrimination on any of the nine grounds under the Act, including gender, marital status and family status, that are not justified by a legitimate social policy objective or where the means of achieving that objective are either unnecessary or inappropriate.
The work is being carried out in two phases. Phase 1 involves the undertaking of a scoping exercise to establish the most appropriate approach and methodology to carrying out the main review. This initial work is currently underway and is due to be completed this month. Phase 2 of the work involving the undertaking of the main review, is due to commence in the latter part of 2006.
It is my intention that social welfare system reforms would continue to take account of changes in social attitudes and expectations.