The newly appointed Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar has stated that he believes that the cutting of child-benefit payments for truant children would serve as no benefit to anyone.
The former Health Minister say he fully believes introducing sch a scheme would not at all help school attendances. The proposed bill which would see parents being docked child benefit payments has caused outrage amongst opposition TD’s who say such a scheme is against human rights.
Mr Varadkar told the Dail this afternoon that the controversial scheme would not do anything to ensure children attend school. Mr Varadkar further explained: “I had some discussions last week with the Minister for Children, and the Minister for Education.”
“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.”