Noel Ahern
Ceist:213 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the entitlement to optical benefit of a person (details supplied) who claims her inquiry to his Department brought a negative response. [16712/99]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The person concerned does not qualify for optical benefit. To qualify, she would have needed 26 weeks reckonable contributions paid or credited in either of the two tax years prior to reaching 66 years. She has no reckonable contributions paid or credited in either of those tax years.
She does not qualify under the dependent spouses scheme based on her spouse's PRSI record as she is in receipt of an old age (contributory) pension and does not, therefore, satisfy the dependency condition of the scheme.
If she is the holder of a medical card she may be entitled to some assistance towards her optical costs under the scheme administered by the health boards on behalf of the Department of Health and Children. Inquiries in this regard should be made at her local health board centre.
Noel Ahern
Ceist:214 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the annual cost of meeting the demand by groups representing parents with twins for double child benefit payments to be made on the same basis as payments currently made for triplets [16715/99]
I have recently received a number of representations on behalf of an organisation called Irish Multiple Births Association who are seeking to have the same rate of child benefit paid in respect of twins as applies to children of multiple births involving three or more children.
The background to this issue is as follows. Prior to the introduction of the Social Welfare Act, 1998, child benefit was payable at double the normal rate for each child where three or more children were born together. In the case of twins, child benefit was paid at the normal rate but a grant of £500 was payable at the birth of twins and further grants of £500 were payable when the twins reached the ages of four and 12.
In fulfilment of pre-election commitments, I introduced two key additional measures in the Social Welfare Act, 1998. Firstly, the rate of child benefit payable in respect of twins was increased to 150 per cent of the normal child benefit rate. Secondly, the £500 grants, which previously were confined to families with twins, were extended to include also families with multiple births of three or more children. These measures took effect in September 1998. The estimated full-year cost of increasing the child benefit rate for twins was estimated to be £4.8 million. The cost of introducing double child benefit payments for twins would be of the same order of magnitude.
The 1999 budget provides for an additional investment in the child benefit scheme of more than £40 million bringing expenditure on the scheme to £475 million in a full year. From September 1999, the basic rates of child benefit will be increased by £3 in respect of the first two children and £4 in respect of the third and subsequent children, bringing the rates up to £34.50 and £46.00 per month respectively. These improvements will benefit all families with children, including, of course, families with twins.
The question of providing for any further enhancement of the arrangements for twins under the child benefit scheme is a matter for consideration in a budgetary context, in the light of the resources available and of other competing priorities.