Tusla: Child benefit link to school attendance ‘not an effective tool’

Child and Family Agency Tusla has advised that linking child benefit to school attendance is not an effective policy, the Dáil has been told.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone said that Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar, Minister for Education Richard Bruton and she had talked to their departments and she had also talked to Tusla to see if "looking at the reform of the monitoring of child benefit would be an effective tool to ensure the school attendance of our children".

Ms Zappone said: “To date, what has come back is that it will not be an effective tool and we are listening to that advice.”

She added however: “That is not to say that I will not continue to have discussions.”

The Minister was responding to Sinn Féin education spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire who noted “some ambiguity on the Government benches” on the issue and he asked Ms Zappone to clarify the Government’s position.

‘Social disadvantages’

He called for the link between attendance and child benefit to be ruled out and said it was a ridiculous proposal that many children could suffer if such a policy was introduced because they “come from homes that experience a plethora of issues and social disadvantages”.

Minister for Communications Denis Naughten had proposed the move from child benefit to a school attendance payment as a more effective means of ensuring attendance than pursuing families through a lengthy and costly court process.

The Independent member of Government had secured its inclusion in the programme for government but there was a mixed reaction on the Government benches and outright opposition from some including Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Children’s Rights Alliance.

Mr Naughten raised the issue again in recent days. Ms Zappone told the Dáil she would listen to the Minister for Communications in that regard “but as far as I am concerned I am listening to Tusla and the other departments.”

She said it was not about cutting child benefit but about “making sure all children who need our help with school attendance are given it. It is especially through the school completion programme that we can focus on that.”