Ministers say means-tested child benefit is ‘worthy of consideration’

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Brian Lawless/PA)

A means-tested child welfare payment is “worthy of consideration” in budget talks, the Taoiseach has said following a recommendation by a think tank.

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published a report on Thursday that suggested a payment to households based on their means and the number of children could take more than 40,000 children out of poverty.