Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2022
120. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline the supports for families in Budget 2023; the impact that the changes she is making will have in respect of the treatment of child maintenance payments and working family payment thresholds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59228/22]
View answerI announced on Budget Day that the Government will spend €2.2 billion on Social Protection measures, including over €880 million in order to provide for a €12 increase to the weekly rate of social welfare payments from January 2023.
Cost of living family supports include: an October cost-of-living double payment, and again in December via the payment of the Christmas Bonus. In November, a double Child Benefit payment was made. Households in receipt of the Fuel Allowance have received a €400 lump sum, and people in receipt of the Working Family Payment received a lump sum of €500. All households will also benefit from €600 of Energy Credits in the coming months.
In Budget 2023, the Qualified Child rates will increase by €2 – to €42 per child for those aged under 12, and to €50 per week for those aged 12 and over. Over the last three Budgets, these rates have increased by €6 and €10 per week respectively. For those in employment with children, the income threshold for the Working Family Payment is also increasing by €40 per week from January.
In 2020, the Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine a number of issues regarding child maintenance in Ireland.
The Group submitted their Report to me for my consideration and, on Wednesday 16 November 2022, the Government published the Report and approved its response to the recommendations contained in it.
The Group recommended that:
- child maintenance should no longer be assessed as means or income for the purposes of any Department of Social Protection Social Assistance scheme. It should be disregarded in its entirety from all of the Department’s means assessments and income tests;
- the requirement to make efforts to seek maintenance as a condition for eligibility for One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment should be removed and should no longer apply to either scheme; and
- the provisions relating to the Liable Relative should be discontinued and should no longer apply.
On foot of the report, I am pleased to say that the Government has approved changes to implement the Group’s recommendations in respect of Child Maintenance within the Social Welfare system.
The decision to disregard Child Maintenance Payments from the Social Welfare means test will support lone parents and will mean that some parents currently on reduced rates of payment will see their payment increase.
I trust this clarifies the matter for deputy.
