Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 February 2010
442 Deputy Seán Ardagh asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the age limit and conditions for qualification for receipt of child benefit; if there are allowances for families in receipt of welfare payments or family income supplement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6282/10]
View answerChild Benefit is payable to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age, or under 18 years of age if the child is in full-time education, undertaking FÁS Youthreach training or has a disability.
Qualifying Conditions
The child must be a qualified child. The applicant must be a qualified person. To qualify for Child Benefit the applicant must satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition.
Qualified Child
A child is a qualified child for Child Benefit if s/he is:
Under 16 years of age;
Aged 16, 17 or 18 and either in full-time education or incapable of self-support by reason of long-term physical or mental disability;
Ordinarily resident in the State;
Not detained in a reformatory, industrial school or in legal custody.
Full-Time Education
This involves attending on a full-time basis a course of full-time instruction by day at an institute of education. This does not include courses:
a. run by FÁS if an allowance is payable (other than "Youthreach" courses).
b. which form part of an employment or apprenticeship or work experience programme.
c. which arise from employment.
d. where the period of paid work experience exceed the time spent in the classroom.
e. run by Teagasc where, in an academic year, the period of work experience exceeds the time spent in the classroom.
School Holidays
A child will be regarded as continuing to receive full-time education for periods during the academic year where the school is closed due to holidays or other temporary interruptions.
Disability
If a child over 16 and under 19 is medically certified as incapable of self-support by reason of physical or mental disability, and is likely to remain so for a prolonged period, the child is a qualified child for child benefit purposes. The Deciding Officer will seek the advice of the Chief Medical Officer as to the acceptability of the certification.
Residence of the Child
The child must be ordinarily resident in the State. This requirement is deemed to be satisfied in cases of:
members of the Irish Defence Forces or the Irish Civil Service serving abroad,
volunteer development workers, or
persons temporarily employed abroad by an Irish employer and paying Irish social insurance contributions.
Changes to the age criteria for Child Benefit were introduced in Budget 2009. From January 2010, payment of Child Benefit will cease when the child reaches 18. A compensatory payment will be paid during 2010 to certain families with children aged 18 in full time education or with a disability. This payment is made to families whose child(ren) aged 18 are getting a Disability Allowance or if:
In receipt of a social welfare payment which includes an increase for the child aged 18;
In receipt of Family Income Supplement.
The compensatory payment is €15 per week and will be paid on the 3rd Monday of each month by the Child Benefit section. Budget 2010 revised downwards the rates of payment of Child Benefit. In compensation for this reduction, an increase of €3.80 per week in Qualified Child Increase for people who are dependent on a weekly social welfare payment was also introduced, thereby ensuring that overall child related payments to these customers remained the same. Further information is available on my Department's website, www.welfare.ie.
