Vol. 516 No. 2
131 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will extend the monthly children's allowance to parents on low incomes whose children are in full-time education in view of the fact that many young people are in third level education until they are 24 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7296/00]
Child benefit is a monthly payment payable in respect of children who are under 16 years of age, or who are between 16 and 19 years of age and in full-time education or disabled.
The value of the scheme as an effective tool for channelling child income support is reflected in the very substantial investment which the Government has made in the scheme, most notably the full-year extra investment of £106 million provided for in this year's budget. This investment will bring the rates of payment up to £42.50 in respect of the first two children and £56.00 in respect of the third and subsequent children with effect from September of this year and will bring the total full year provision for child benefit to £575 million.
I should mention also that the new Programme for Prosperity and Fairness contains a commitment to further substantial increases in the level of payment, with a priority focus towards £100 per month for third and subsequent children.
Child benefit is a universal payment which is not subject to a means-test. The suggestion made by the Deputy to provide for the extension of child benefit to low-income families where a child or children aged 19 or over continued in full-time education would necessarily involve some form of means-testing and would represent an undesirable shift away from a very positive feature of the scheme.
In any event, the extension of the scheme along the lines proposed would give rise to significant costs and could only be considered, therefore, in a budgetary context.
132 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 270 of 15 February 2000, he has satisfied himself regarding the accuracy of his reply regarding the reason a person in County Kildare has been refused the right to sign on the unemployment register in spite of the fact she is still on a three day week and seeking full-time employment in view of the documentation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7339/00]
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance to June 1999 when her claim was disallowed on the grounds that she was not available for and not genuinely seeking full-time work. She had failed to submit any documentary evidence to support her claim and no appeal was made in this case nor has she made any application for unemployment benefit-assistance since that time.
Claims to benefit and assistance are determined by deciding officers and appeals officers, who are statutory officers, and I have no power to interfere with their decisions. The person concerned could have pursued her case by way of appeal or could have made a subsequent fresh claim but she has not done so.
Having regard to the information submitted by the Deputy, however, I am arranging for the local office to contact the person concerned with a view to clarifying her situation and to see what assistance can be provided to her.
