Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 September 2022
370. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to extending child benefit to persons over 18 years of age who remain in full-time secondary education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45638/22]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to over 631,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of more than €2.1 billion in 2022.
There are currently no plans to extend Child Benefit in respect of full-time students in second level education who are over 18 years of age. Such an extension would have significant cost implications and would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
Families on low incomes may be able to avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:
- Increase for a Qualified Child (IQCs) with primary social welfare payments;
- the Working Family Payment for low-paid employees with children; and
- the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
