There was widespread uproar earlier this month when a proposal to link child benefit with school attendance was leaked from a draft Programme for Government, but there is good news today for those who were concerned about the possibility of the two databases being melded.
Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar has given his final verdict on the proposal, insisting that it would not be ‘useful’ to link school attendance to these vital benefits.
Addressing the issue during Dáil Questions earlier today, Minister Varadkar revealed that he had given the proposal some thought along with Minister for Children Katherine Zappone, and Minister for Education Richard Bruton.
“The common view that we have, as three Ministers, is that those who are involved in education welfare and involved in monitoring truancy do not believe that giving them a further tool in which to enforce good attendance by withholding child benefit…would be useful,” he said.
No doubt families all over the country will be heaving a sigh of relief after this latest update, given how staunchly opposed so many were to the initial proposal.
