Jimmy Deenihan
Ceist:126 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her estimates of extending child benefit until the age of 22 where the child is in full-time education. [13525/03]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Child benefit is payable in respect of all children up to the age of 16 years and continues to be payable in respect of children up to age 19 who are in full-time education or who have a physical or mental disability. According to figures collected under the quarterly national household survey by the Central Statistics Office for the final quarter of 2002, there were an estimated 116,700 students aged 19 to 22 years. Extending child benefit to this category would cost in the region of €185 million per annum.
I should point out that from October 2003, child dependant allowances, which are payable with weekly social welfare payments, will be extended to age 22 to people on short-term social welfare schemes for six months and where the child is attending a full-time course of education or training. This provision previously applied to long-term schemes only. The measure is estimated to cost €630,000 million in a full year. Short-term schemes include such payments as unemployment benefit and assistance, disability benefit and supplementary welfare allowance.
Question No. 127 answered with Question No. 99.
Question No. 128 answered with Question No. 122.