RTE's This Week Programme -Should Children's Allowances be taxed?

This Week analysed the thorny issue of the possible taxation of childrens allowances. The contribution of Charlie McCreevy to the increase in childrens allowances was painted in glowing terms. Nothing wrong with this.

There were two references to the FG Party. Both were out of context.

1. One referred to the proposal of Garrett Fitzgerald that stay at home wives should be paid.
2. The second referred to John Bruton and the decision to tax children's shoes.

• The report could have mentioned Charlie McCreevy's Dirty Dozen social welfare cuts. But did not.
• It could have dealt with the massive rise in stealth taxes introduced by McCreevy after the 2002 General Election but did not.
• It could have referred the fact that the same Bruton budget included a plan to increase Social Welfare payments including children's allowances by 25%. But did not.
• The Fitzgerald proposal was not very controversial as it involved no net loss to a married couple unlike the proposal to tax childrens allowances.