I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 and 180 together.
Child Benefit is a universal payment that assists parents in the cost associated with raising children and it contributes towards alleviating child poverty. It is paid monthly in respect of all children up to the age 16 years and in respect of children over 16 years of age up to their 18th birthday who are in full time education or have a disability. The standard rate of payment of Child Benefit is currently €150 per child per month for the first and second child. A higher rate of payment of €187 per child per month is paid in respect of the third or later child in birth order.
With regard to child dependant allowances, it is assumed that the Deputy is referring to child dependant additions, which are now known as Qualified Child Increases (QCIs). QCIs are paid as supplements to weekly social welfare benefits and allowances in recognition of the need for greater incomes among benefit-dependent households with dependent children. A QCI is payable in respect of each qualified child who normally resides with the claimant. If a dependant is aged between 18 and 22 years a QCI is payable if s/he attends a full-time day course of study, instruction or training at a recognised institute of education.
Payment of the QCI can continue up to 22 years of age or up to the end of the academic year in which the child reaches 22 in the case of long-term payments as well as short-term payments that have been in payment for at least 156 days.
A qualified child increase is also payable after the dependant reaches age 18:
for 3 months immediately after leaving second-level education or finishing the Leaving Certificate Examination, whichever is later,
until the following 30 June or until they complete their full-time second-level day course, whichever is the earlier, or
for the summer holiday period up to the beginning of the next academic year for students in third level education.
If the dependant reaches age 22 during an academic year while attending a full-time day course of education, they continue to be regarded as a qualified child up to the end of that academic year provided they continue to receive full-time education.