Look at the facts before attacking vulnerable families

The kids are back to school, uniforms are bought, winter clothes need to be stocked up, and doctors’ bills are starting to come in.

Parents do not have the time or the energy to protest. So once again the Government can take advantage. For the third year in succession the Cabinet is testing the mood to see if the time is ripe to attack the perceived soft underbelly of society — young mothers and families. This has become a ritual of budget discussions.

On Sunday, two bits of news were leaked. Firstly it emerged the Government had got a brainwave to tax maternity benefit.

Obviously there is concern about young mothers living the life of James Reilly on the little additional tax relief they get for the six months they are on leave.

Secondly, Social Protection Minister Joan Burton received a report suggesting that child benefit should be cut to €100 per child, with a top-up payment for the very disadvantaged.

Cue high-fliers like Michael O’Leary to be trooped on to the Late Late Show to complain about his entitlement to the universal benefit. Then a few backbenchers can create a moral panic that bankers and developers are scamming the State for €140 a month for each one of their children.

Before people get sold by the need to crack down on flathúlach families, look at some of the demographic realities:

nOur society is getting older and the only thing separating us from the pensions timebomb likely to handicap some major European economies is the fact we are in the midst of a baby boom. In 30 years’ time, those babies will be paying for your pension.

nIrish mothers, irrespective of family costs, are already at the epicentre of the financial crisis. The average age of first-time mothers is 29, and the average age of all mothers is 31.5. That means those claiming child benefit, on behalf of their children, are predominantly between the ages of 30 and 50.

This is the age group that bought houses in the past 10 years and is carrying the greatest legacy of debt — about 13.4% of owner-occupier mortgages are in arrears. People between the ages of 25-45 account for 53% of all unemployed people in Ireland.

nMore than 50,700 households around the country with a mortgage are unemployed. There are 56,000 unemployed women who have had children.

nIreland does not enjoy the childcare regimes of other European states and, while it may be flawed, child benefit is in line with our neighbours’ schemes for supporting working parents. The average family with a parent in full-time work, with two children under school-going age, spends €650 a month on child care. Child benefit would cover half of that.

nThe Government can twist the statistics any way it wants but it cannot escape the burden being carried by families. Earlier this year, the ESRI distanced itself from research conducted by Richard Tol. He said 44% of parents were better off leaving their jobs because of the added price of leaving the house each day. A new piece of ESRI research was commissioned. But even this, which minimised childcare costs, said one in eight working parents would be better off out of a job. This did not speak to those already unemployed. And it did not address how many people still in work are close to the threshold.

nThe relief for maternity benefit is not a lotto ticket. Maternity benefit lasts for six months. According to weekend reports, some people get tax relief to the tune of €500 a month. This is a total of €3,000 for the duration of the leave.

The National Consumer Agency has a calculator for budgeting for newborns. As an exercise, take an hour to shop online for the basics required to simply bring a baby home from hospital.

Using cheaper options, and not concerning yourself with clothes, safety equipment for the house, or toys, the calculator shows up a cost of close to €2,000.

This is before the child needs a new set of clothes when they grow out of newborn sizes or the unexpected costs of upending a family’s life.

Ultimately, it is not the State’s responsibility to carry parents’ costs. But it is the State’s responsibility to manage the economy properly.

Pushing parents into debt or making it impossible for families to raise children properly is taking the foundation from under the largest working demographic in the country.

It is compromising the care of children and showing the hypocrisy of its stance on the upcoming children’s referendum by recreating the financial strife that fostered an environment, in previous generations, where the care of children was surrendered to institutions.

A Dáil predominantly full of middle-aged men may have forgotten the price of parenting.

But if it is going to attack a particularly vulnerable sector of the economy, it should at least have the courage to stand over the facts and not capitalise on moral panic.