Sir, – Fintan O’Toole calls for the Government to address the issue of child poverty by introducing a second level of benefit to be means-tested (“Child benefit reform is a no-brainer. So why has the Government not done it?,” Opinion, July 14th). While most of us share his concern on this issue, there is a better way to deal with this issue than introducing yet another means-tested benefit.
This would be to increase the current level of unconditional child benefit for all children and, if needed, to cover any additional cost to the exchequer by an increase in taxation.
When child benefit was introduced in 1944, known then as children’s allowance, it was introduced as an unconditional payment, partly to avoid the stigma of means-testing and party to ensure all children benefited. Similar arguments apply today. The stigma issue has still very real.
Means-testing of benefits involves a significant amount of work for people who are already hard-pressed, intrusive enquiries into personal circumstances and yet allows some children in need to fall through the net, possibly those most in need.
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It also involves a significant amount of time and effort by public servants, resources that could be better used elsewhere. They could be redeployed to boost the resources of our taxation system, which is an effective form of means-testing.
Basic Income Ireland has demonstrated the feasibility of an Unconditional and Universal Basic Income (UBI), paid to all individuals, from cradle to grave, showing how this could be implemented on a revenue-neutral basis.
In addition to helping deal with child poverty, a UBI has many other benefits in supporting a fairer, caring, dynamic and flexible society. – Yours, etc,
BOBBY LAMBERT,
Wexford.
