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€2 billion on child benefit is an
investment not a cost.
Could someone please tell
Minister Joan Burton that child benefit is an
INVESTMENT not a cost?
Recently in the Dail she has been hinting at further
cuts to child benefit, and the introduction of a two-tier system for child
benefit, with higher payments for lower earners and those relying on social
welfare payments.
She then explained how much child benefit cost €2bn annually!! I guess
this is to cause aghast and outrage and gather support to obtain these
cuts.
I wonder has the government not considered the huge impact of cutting
the only payment that is an investment in our future tax payers. How this will
cost them in the long term….
Yesterday a report told how 10 per cent of Irish population are
living in food poverty. This study shows that those most at
risk of experiencing food poverty include those living on low incomes, families
with young children, and one-parent families. What was interesting was that
report author Caroline Carney said food poverty had fallen between 2005 and
2007, but the most recent data show it rising again after 2009.
Surely this has been partly caused by the elimination of the Early
Childcare Supplement from Jan '10, the 10% cut to Irish child benefit in 2009,
and further cuts in 2010 and 2011, with larger families taking the brunt of the
cuts. This shows how cutting child benefit has had a negative impact on
children and their long term health and well-being.
How much will this cost the state in future years? If our
children are eating badly now, they could be affected by these diseases at much
younger ages. What price will they pay in 20 years’ time? You are what
you eat.
All the 'leaks' about possible cuts, followed by other TD’s saying ‘’no
decisions made yet,‘’ is having a very negative impact on our
economy. People are afraid, austerity is not working, and the longer the
government continues to cut child benefit, the longer we will wait for a
recovery, and it will increase the poverty bracket with more families falling
into it each year.
We need children,
Ireland needs babies and lots of them: yesterday David Quinn wrote a piece on
why: ‘’ This is a disaster for the future of this country. It doesn't take a
genius to work out that the bigger a financial burden you place on young people
and young couples, the fewer children they will have.
I
agree strongly, we need to think very carefully about cutting child benefit
again before it is too late. In future years we may not have enough tax payers
to pay pensions, health care and may be TD’s wages and expenses.
Child
benefit was a very progressive move when introduced and improved over the
years. Are we are now going to allow the government to cut again what has
become a life line for many families across all societies in Ireland?
On the 22 of October we see a report from the Irish League of Credit Union’s what’s Left? 1.3 million Adults
have less than 50 euro to spend when essential bills are paid for each
month. This shows how so many are on a
thin layer of ice that is getting thinner and thinner, we see the cost of
living increasing , extra taxes ,cuts to child benefit. Reducing family’s
disposable income further, which again see less spending in our economy keeping
us stuck in recession. With this
continued path the government is on it will be a long time before Ireland sees
prosperity again.
All of these reports clearly show
how families are struggling and need a helping hand. Before it is too late,
Austerity is not working cutting the one reliable dependable payment for all
children will see many fall though the ice damaging our economy further.
The
government may save money short term, but this will cost them so much more in
the long term, and if we see many choosing not to have any children or les , we shall see this affecting the
government pensions in years to come,
when you add emigration into the mix, continued cuts to child benefit =
disaster. It does not take and expert in economics to understand the
consequences of our governments intended path...
Remember Invest in a child invest in a Nation
If you are concerned about cuts
to child benefit, get in touch with :
PACUB -https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pacub-Protest-Against-Cuts-to-Child-Benefit/191987877489406
Also Organisers of the March which took place on 3rd of October :
https://www.facebook.com/2Parentsagainstchildbenefitcuts?fref=tshttps://www.facebook.com/2Parentsagainstchildbenefitcuts?fref=ts
Please also sign this petitionhttp://www.causes.com/causes/795632-don-t-touch-our-child-benefit-irish-government/actions/1689390
