Vol. 513 No. 1
617 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his views on whether many parents with twins feel they are being discriminated against because the child benefit payment for twins is less than the payment for triplets; his further views on the imbalance in these payments; and the proposals, if any, he has in this regard. [1838/00]
618 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the annual cost of providing the same level of child benefit for twins as is payable in respect of triplets. [1840/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 617 and 618 together.
I have set out the position in relation to the issue of child benefit entitlements and multiple births on a number of occasions to this House in the recent past. Briefly, the position is that, prior to the introduction of the Social Welfare Act, 1998, child benefit was payable at double the normal rate for each child where three or more children are born together.
In the case of twins, child benefit was paid at the normal rate but a grant of £500 was payable at the birth of twins and further grants of £500 were payable when the twins reached the ages of four and 12.
I introduced two key additional measures in the Social Welfare Act, 1998, in fulfilment of our pre-election commitments. First, the rate of child benefit payable in respect of twins was increased to 150% of the normal child benefit rate. Second, the £500 grants, which previously were confined to families with twins, were extended to include also families with multiple births of three or more children. These measures took effect in September 1998 at a full-year cost of some £4.8 million.
In the interim, I have also provided for very substantial additional investments in the child benefit scheme. The 1999 budget provided for an additional full-year investment in the scheme of more than £40 million, while the recent budget provides for a full-year investment of almost £106 million. From September of this year, the basic child benefit monthly rates will have risen to £42.50 in respect of the first two children and £56.00 in respect of the third and subsequent children. These improvements will benefit all families with children, including families with twins, and represent the most effective use of the available resources.
The cost of providing for the double child benefit payments for twins is estimated at some £5.5 million in a full year.
