asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will make a statement on her attitude to the recommendations of the Commission on Social Welfare that the child dependency allowance be rationalised; and whether she contemplates implementing this proposed measure in the near future.
Written Answers. - Commission on Social Welfare.
103.
The recommendations made by the Commission on Social Welfare in the area of income support for families include proposals that child dependant increases with social welfare payments should be retained and rationalised into one payment for all child dependants of social welfare recipients and that additional payments be made on a quartermly basis for families long term dependent on social welfare payments. The Commission also recommends differentiation of child benefit rates by age and family size and the retention of the family income supplement scheme.
The commission's recommendations in this area are relatively complex and the approach they recommend would differ from the approach outlined by the Government in the national plan Building on Reality The commission's proposals in this area are under examination at present and proposals will be put to the Government in this matter in due course.