It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 297, 298 and 299 together.
Child benefit is payable in respect of all children up to the age of 16 years and continues to be paid in respect of children up to the age of 19 who are in full-time education, or who have a physical or mental disability. The policy of the Government in recent years has been to increase the amount spent on child benefit for all families substantially. The Government's commitment to that policy is reflected in the substantial resources we have invested in the child benefit scheme since 1997, with total expenditure reaching €1.9 billion when the current programme of multi-annual increases is complete.
Child benefit is a monthly payment to parents to assist with the ongoing costs of raising a child. It would not be appropriate to pay it by way of an up front lump sum in the manner suggested by the Deputy. According to figures collected under the quarterly national household survey by the Central Statistics Office for the final quarter of 2002, there were an estimated 116,700 students aged 19 to 22 years. Extending child benefit to that category would therefore cost around €185 million per annum.
Any proposals to extend child benefit entitlement to students over 19 years or to all students up to the age of 22 and in full-time education would be costly and would have to be considered in the light of available resources and overall budgetary priorities. The Government has already recognised the need to target resources at persons on low incomes with children in third-level education. Consequently, child dependent allowances are payable to the age of 22 where the parent of a full-time third level student is in receipt of a long-term social welfare payment.
From October 2003, child dependent allowances will also be extended to age 22 to people on short-term social welfare schemes for six months and where the child is attending a full-time course of education or training. The measure is estimated to cost €0.63 million in a full year, short-term schemes include such payments as unemployment benefit and assistance, disability benefit and supplementary welfare allowance. The higher education grant scheme is the responsibility of the Department of Education and Science, and the question of the means assessment for the scheme is a matter for that Department.