I fully support the eloquent case made by my colleague, Senator John Whelan, in regard to the provision of child benefit. There is a general acceptance among the public that wealthy people should not be in receipt of this payment or, at the very least, that it should be means-tested.

How does one define "wealthy"?

I remind Senator Darragh O'Brien, for whom I have great respect, that the social welfare budget is costing taxpayers €21 billion per year. The reason it is so high is that the Senator's former leader prepared for three general elections by increasing social welfare provision, including child benefit, year on year. He even promised to increase the State pension to €300 per week.

In all those cases, members of the Senator's party complained that what we had provided was not enough.

In 2007 the cry went up from members of the parties now in government for more and more.

How much worse would our current situation be if the State pension had been increased to €300?

The Senator should read his own party's election manifestos.

Does Senator John Kelly have a question for the Leader?

Yes, when I am finished making this point. I also remind Senator Darragh O'Brien that his party in government chose to deal with the issue of increasing child care costs by way of the provision of a €1,000 payment per child under six years of age. While this sounded like a good idea at the time, within two days of the announcement it transpired that there was an obligation to make this payment to all working parents in the State, even where their children were residing in another country.

What about the free preschool year we introduced? What does the Senator have to say about that?

It was soon discovered, moreover, that such workers were also entitled to child benefit payments even, once again, where their children were not living in this country.

That is in accordance with European Union law.

Does the Senator John Kelly have a question for the Leader?

A review of child payment provision would be worthwhile and timely. There is a great deal of money tied up in that payment which should not have been lost to the economy.