The Minister for Children says she would prefer the introduction of subsidised childcare services over direct child benefit payments.
In an interview with the Irish Times, Frances Fitzgerald said 10% of all welfare payments go towards child benefit and that Irish children would be better served by universal childcare.
Minister Fitzgerald said she realised the impact cutting the €2bn in payments would have an impact on Irish families but argued that subsidised services would see 'children do better, stay in school and benefit from schooling'.