Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 July 2014
367. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the rate of back to education allowance to recipients of the payment aged under 26 years to €188 per week. [29000/14]
View answer368. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring child benefit to families with children who are in full-time second level education but who have reached 18 years of age. [29002/14]
View answer427. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will refrain from further reducing or altering the household benefits and free travel pass facilities in Budget 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29897/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 367, 368 and 427 together.
The estimated cost, based on recipient data at end April last, of increasing the maximum personal rate of back to education allowance for all under 26 year olds to €188 is estimated at €3 million in a full year.
The estimated cost, based on Department of Education and Skills data in relation to full time second level participation at the beginning of 2013, of paying child benefit to families in respect of their 18 year old children in full-time second-level education is €42.5 million in a full year.
I and my colleagues in Cabinet appreciate the importance of the free travel scheme and the value it provides to the hundreds of thousands of mostly elderly people who use it. The scheme has been fully protected in each of the three Budgets introduced by this Government, and I do not envisage any changes in the forthcoming Budget.
The 2015 Budget will be considered by Government in the forthcoming months and will be announced on October 14. Changes to the back to education allowance, child benefit, and household benefits schemes would have to be considered in that context.
