FG on Child Benefit (Subsidy for sex)

As a parent myself, I'd be much more in favour of child benefit being reduced as a whole cash benefit and instead, directed more to actual kids needs such as school meals, school books, child care and other direct educational needs.

I agree to not paying tax, if i am not entitled to anything from the system then i should have my right not to pay into it.

Lets look at the wastage that goes on for Irelands tax pot and really start cutting back on everything to make this a reality. We can start with cutting the pension for older people we cannot afford it anyway, especially the defined benefits.

Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? when we start eroding the benefits we get and it gets to a stage where those paying into it question why they should actually be paying into it we are in trouble.

This chap knows exactly what he is doing, he was asked a question on why in 2021 when we have quite enough resources we cannot give kids in need school meals he deflects it back onto the taxpayer that we are the problem and not his government that has been in place for the past decade.

Many of the reasons we have the likes of childrens allowance is to benefit the children of Ireland who will be the next generation to pay for pensions in the future. The reason its actually needed is more than likely linked to services the government isn't already providing.

So if we are to get rid of it lets make sure we have an Ireland that can support its children properly.

Zookey123 wrote:

David McManus recently on the radio claimed that child benefit should be means tested. He also made a subsidy for sex comment which I assume was just to grab peoples attention. I actually do agree with a lot he had to say. I personally don't even understand why parents get massive tax credits for having kids. Surely as a family with children your using more of the country's resources than a single individual hence you should actually pay more tax. Why should the rest of us pay for their kids? Having a child in the modern world is a choice. If you cant afford it don't have kids.

So what happens if kids arrive unexpectedly?

They should just scrap the current system altogether, maybe just keep it for new borns to help at the start, but then put the money into subsidised creches, subsidise school clothes, school meals, after school care, etc. The amount of childcare money that is never actually used for the children across all income levels is probably astronomical.

The young lads child benefit plus any presents goes into a fund that will pay for college if I am not able to afford it or if I am it will provide a deposit for a house or whatever.

The problem isn't with the payment, it's with people's comprehension. "Child Benefit", not "Parent's Benefit for having Children".

Wait until people realise how much single parents get and all the benefits they get. I have a neighbour who said she wishes she didn't get married before she had the kids. She could have been way better off.

Deleted User wrote: »

OP, how do you suppose your pension will be paid if there's no young people to pay taxes?

The much fabled Magic Money Tree.

This was a Michael O'Leary quip back in the day.

"RYANAIR boss Michael O'Leary has called for the scrapping of children's allowance payments, describing them as a subsidy for people to have sex.

He said that child benefit was "ridiculous" and neither he nor his wife needed it."

He glossed over the fact that it's not a mandatory payment. It has to be applied for.

KaneToad wrote: »

He glossed over the fact that it's not a mandatory payment. It has to be applied for.

It doesn't. It's automatically set up when a baby is assigned a PPS number. There is no mechanism to say you don't want it.

Padraig Mor wrote: »

It doesn't. It's automatically set up when a baby is assigned a PPS number. There is no mechanism to say you don't want it.

I wasn't aware this was an automatic payment, I was sure parents had to initially apply for this allowance? I'm single so open to correction

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm hardly a fan of increasing social welfare spending, but unless we want pension and demographic collapse it's in our interest to keep having children.

Unless this whole automation/AI thing ever takes off, then we might be alright.

i think you are kinda on the right track with your second idea. if we become more efficient as a species then pensions will be of little worry. we have a planet of abundance, we need to get the greedy gits out of the way and spread it around a little better.

in future why should older people have big heating bills and electric bills in future. We currently borrow money to give to the OAPs to heat their homes, odd approach when you think about it.

we need to be looking at ways to bring down costs on people, but this won't suit certain "sorts"(greedy money grubby gits running things)
if all homes in future are A rated then bills come down, if we focus a lot more on producing food locally then that could help(more greenhouses for example). more local renewable energy(solar panels on all houses, heat pumps, geothermal etc. is all reduces costs. this is the key, reducing the bills.

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Unless things have changed in the ~decade since my kids were born, I don't think so. Pretty sure it just 'happened' after the birth of the child was registered (which was done in the hospital).

No I definitely remember filling out a form afterwards. I was late applying too, because I remember it being backdated a couple of months which was handy! Then again, my memory is a bit hazy for the first few weeks!

Antares35 wrote: »

No I definitely remember filling out a form afterwards. I was late applying too, because I remember it being backdated a couple of months which was handy! Then again, my memory is a bit hazy for the first few weeks!

I still have to send the form every so often that I'm still entitled to claim child benefit. It might be because of my nationality but I am pretty sure there are plenty opportunities to cancel the claim.

Anyway I just checked, yes you have to send back the signed form state sends after you register the birth.

Dempo1 wrote: »

My own neighbours (Irish) have had to fill in forms every month for the last number of years, confirming they still live in a house they purchased 10 years ago, just extraordinary, they've complained but to no joy. I do believe these forms were intended to confirm children, parents etc continued to reside in the state etc.

I have no issue sending back the form. We are getting money of the state after all and they should try to prevent abuses.