Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020
478. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 971 of 16 June 2020, if she will consider using her discretion in circumstances in which an application was to be made for child benefit by the father of an Irish citizen child based on a situation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13732/20]
View answerChild Benefit is payable in respect of children who are ordinarily resident in the State, regardless of citizenship, provided the applicant satisfies the habitual residence condition.
As a family benefit, Child Benefit is exportable in cases where an applicant is working in Ireland but where the child is living in another EU/EEA state. However, the exportability of Child Benefit does not extend to children who are living in non-EU/EEA states, regardless of the citizenship of the child.
Under Irish legislation, child benefit is paid to the parent that the child resides with predominantly and therefore, as outlined previously, the individual referred to does not appear to satisfy the conditions for payment under domestic or EU legislation.
There are no plans at present to amend the qualifying conditions for child benefit. Child benefit is paid to an applicant in respect of a child, and therefore it is the applicant who must satisfy the qualifying conditions. This is regardless of the citizenship of the child.
