11 Kids Under 12

Gannicus · 08-09-2011 08:36PM #1

We were looking at TV and that 11 Kids Under 12 is on. I honestly couldn't believe that someone could have that many kids in that almost as many years. I then remembered that this one across the road is due her sixth kid. All of them under 18, the eldest 15 years old.

The Girlfriends mate turns to the room and says that me neighbour and I quote
"should be cut off from the childrens allowance she's taking the piss having all these kids and neither of them (parents) working"

Now I'm not fond of population control at all but would it be a bad thing if the children's allowance was capped at a certain amount for example 2 or 3 kids. Should we really be of the opinion that if you can't afford the kids yourself the state (taxpayers) shouldn't foot the bill because you were careless with your amorous activity.

Mint Sauce · 08-09-2011 08:40PM

It should simply be means tested. Theres no way that someone on 200k a year should be getting the same as someone on 20k.

Captain_Generic · 08-09-2011 08:40PM

Lets all move to China

hondasam · 08-09-2011 08:41PM

lets cancel children's allowance all together. If you can't afford them.don't have them.

Gannicus · 08-09-2011 08:43PM

hondasam wrote: »

lets cancel children's allowance all together. If you can't afford them.don't have them.

That's what the girlfriends mate says.

Mushy · 08-09-2011 08:55PM

Gonna need to strengthen the squad if they dont want to be relegated!

policarp · 08-09-2011 08:55PM

irish-stew wrote: »

It should simply be means tested. Theres no way that someone on 200k a year should be getting the same as someone on 20k.

That should be the case IMO, but there is something in the constitution that says all the children of the nation should be cherished equally AFAIK.

Abi · 08-09-2011 08:55PM

irish-stew wrote: »

It should simply be means tested. Theres no way that someone on 200k a year should be getting the same as someone on 20k.

Nail on the head IMO. The money is there to assist parents with the cost of rearing children. A woman I know is receiving payment for two children and doesnt need it, and has told me she has set up two bank accounts and is putting the monthly money in their bank accounts for when they are older. While that seems like a nice idea on the front of things, some parents desperately await their payments in order to make ends meet. Can the country really afford payouts to people that don't need it?

Clareboy · 08-09-2011 08:59PM

Children's Allowance - get rid of it! Needy families should receive vouchers for nappies, baby food, clothing etc.

Gannicus · 08-09-2011 09:01PM

Abi wrote: »

The money is there to assist parents with the cost of rearing children.

Exactly assist parents. But what about all these people like my neighbours who neither of them work and about to have their 6th child.

Abi · 08-09-2011 09:04PM

Big Steve wrote: »

Abi wrote: »

The money is there to assist parents with the cost of rearing children.

[COLOR="Blue"]Exactly assist parents. [/COLOR]But what about all these people like my neighbours who neither of them work and about to have their 6th child.

Cap it at three children as well as means testing.

Monty Burnz · 08-09-2011 09:08PM

I think your poll needs a few more options. It's a tad leading - the Sunday Independent would be proud of it.

Sample Sindo poll:

The question: Are you in favour of either debt sharing or the torture of children?

The headline: 95% or population in favour of debt sharing

You get the idea.

Big Nasty · 08-09-2011 09:10PM

I don't know how anyone on a normal wage could afford to have more than three kids in the first place, allowance or no!

hondasam · 08-09-2011 09:13PM

Abi wrote: »

Cap it at three children as well as means testing.

why not cap it at one or two children?

AgileMyth · 08-09-2011 09:18PM

There are three of us in my family. When my parents split my mother became dependant on children's allowance to make ends meat. Nobody can accuse her of having kids she couldn't afford to raise as the youngest was nine before this happened. Capping the number of kids doesn't take circumstances like ours into account.

Means tested on the other hand is an obvious step in the right direction.

Abi · 08-09-2011 09:34PM

hondasam wrote: »

Abi wrote: »

Cap it at three children as well as means testing.

why not cap it at one or two children?

Because I'm just being awkward

Yeah, maybe two. Once there's a line there .

Kathnora · 08-09-2011 09:42PM

Apart from the issue of the children's allowance the fact is that having a large family on limited finances means that those children could miss out on a lot of opportunities when they get older..... take education for instance.... what parents can afford to send that many children to 3rd level and provide them with the same opportunities as a child from a smaller family? If you even think about secondary school that's expensive too and what about providing study facilities etc in an over crowded house? It's grand when the children are small and their needs are few but they do grow up.....

hondasam · 08-09-2011 09:49PM

Kathnora wrote: »

Apart from the issue of the children's allowance the fact is that having a large family on limited finances means that those children could miss out on a lot of opportunities when they get older..... take education for instance.... what parents can afford to send that many children to 3rd level and provide them with the same opportunities as a child from a smaller family? If you even think about secondary school that's expensive too and what about providing study facilities etc in an over crowded house? It's grand when the children are small and their needs are few but they do grow up.....

I would have though bigger families were the norm years ago, it didn't stop some of these people getting on in the world.
When did children's allowance start?

MagicMarker · 08-09-2011 09:53PM

There should be no such thing as children's allowance except for people in need of it.

CathyMoran · 08-09-2011 09:54PM

It should be replaced with affordable childcare?

noxqs · 08-09-2011 09:56PM

Seriously

7sr2z3fely84g5 · 08-09-2011 09:57PM

Abi wrote: »

A woman I know is receiving payment for two children and doesnt need it, and has told me she has set up two bank accounts and is putting the monthly money in their bank accounts for when they are older. While that seems like a nice idea on the front of things, some parents desperately await their payments in order to make ends meet. Can the country really afford payouts to people that don't need it?

its full and legal fraud if the person is rich or poor,i am fed up with these rubbish statements from officials that they cant means test it,anyone can claim it,the system is quiet a joke,here are the rates-
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/child_benefit.html

Child Benefit monthly rate in 2011:
Child Benefit Monthly rate One child €140 Two children €280 Three children €447 Four children €624 Five children €801 Six children €978 Seven children €1,155 Eight children €1,332

At the moment it is an incentive to have more children such is the rewarding of the benefit itself,the other fact is many depend on it to pay their mortgages such is the level of debt in this country

Kathnora · 08-09-2011 10:04PM

hondasam wrote: »

I would have though bigger families were the norm years ago, it didn't stop some of these people getting on in the world.
When did children's allowance start?

Yes, that's true alright. There were 12 children in my mother's family and most of them did well (circa 1950's). But..... things weren't so expensive then and some of my uncles got council scholarships that got them through second level. Once you got your Leaving Cert as they did then a lot of civil service jobs etc were available to them. Times have changed and now a 3rd level education is necessary where once a Leaving Cert was an adequate standard.

Liam Byrne · 08-09-2011 10:07PM

CathyMoran wrote: »

It should be replaced with affordable childcare?

How would that make any difference to a couple who want to actually RAISE their kids, instead of just HAVE them ?

MugMugs · 08-09-2011 10:34PM

Down with this sort of thing!

Abi · 09-09-2011 08:32AM

Layton Echoing Cereal wrote:

At the moment it is an incentive to have more children such is the rewarding of the benefit itself,the other fact is many depend on it to pay their mortgages such is the level of debt in this country

I think you would have to be terminally stupid to see having a child as a financial incentive. If you receive 180 euro for that child it doesn't come close to the actual monthly cost of feeding, clothing and whatever other costs along the way.

Though for those who are stupid enough to think that, capping and means testing should make them see sense.

Dravokivich · 09-09-2011 08:43AM

Abi wrote: »

Yeah, maybe two. Once there's a line there .

Lines are better when there's more in'em :pac:

wolfpawnat · 09-09-2011 08:46AM

The father works so they are not just sponging the state for all it is worth.

What about the Miriam O'Callaghan and her 8 kids and her €600,000 a year? Go after her, not a family who has a menial living. At least he goes out and works, he would probably be better off not working, but he still goes out and shows his family the meaning of a hard days work.

CA should be available to those who need it as should not be a saving scheme for wealthy families. €140 a month per child is nothing in the grand scheme of things. 1 tub of formula milk is €9.50, a pack of nappies is €11.49, clothes and shoes have to be replaced in a very short time.

As for the education thing, my father is one of 14, and all of his siblings have worked hard and have everything they need in life and most of my cousins are very well qualified, so that idea is rubbish!

Crazy Horse 6 · 09-09-2011 08:49AM

Oh look another elitist thread on boards

mikemac · 09-09-2011 08:51AM

Big Steve wrote: »

Should we really be of the opinion that if you can't afford the kids yourself the state (taxpayers) shouldn't foot the bill because you were careless with your amorous activity.

Lots of us came from large families and in our parents generation it was even more common.
Careless?

If they're happily married and working as best they can I don't see the issue, good luck to them.
Childrens allowance is there to assist them

And I don't think much of your poll OP

seamus · 09-09-2011 08:52AM

Link it to tax credits. You get child benefit for the first two, and tax credits for every child thereafter.

11 Kids Under 12

Should children's allowance be capped at: 37 votes

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