Vol. 569 No. 4
297 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will consider an up front payment of child benefit for a year whereby the child is a third level student not eligible to have the registration charge paid for them, in order to help facilitate the cash-flow of families who have to meet this high charge at a time when they may also have high educational expenses for younger children. [18095/03]
298 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason child benefit stops at 19 years of age for third level students as opposed to the age they complete their third level course, even though they are means tested on their parents' income for eligibility for a grant or registration fees to be awarded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18096/03]
299 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there are plans to award child benefit for students to the end of their course; and if not, the way in which she can justify means testing their parents for grants and other assistance, when they are not receiving child benefit or tax credits for their dependant adult children. [18097/03]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 297, 298 and 299 together.
Child benefit is payable in respect of all children up to the age of 16 years and continues to be paid in respect of children up to the age of 19 who are in full-time education, or who have a physical or mental disability. The policy of the Government in recent years has been to increase the amount spent on child benefit for all families substantially. The Government's commitment to that policy is reflected in the substantial resources we have invested in the child benefit scheme since 1997, with total expenditure reaching €1.9 billion when the current programme of multi-annual increases is complete.
Child benefit is a monthly payment to parents to assist with the ongoing costs of raising a child. It would not be appropriate to pay it by way of an up front lump sum in the manner suggested by the Deputy. 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 that category would therefore cost around €185 million per annum.
Any proposals to extend child benefit entitlement to students over 19 years or to all students up to the age of 22 and in full-time education would be costly and would have to be considered in the light of available resources and overall budgetary priorities. The Government has already recognised the need to target resources at persons on low incomes with children in third-level education. Consequently, child dependent allowances are payable to the age of 22 where the parent of a full-time third level student is in receipt of a long-term social welfare payment.
From October 2003, child dependent allowances will also 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. The measure is estimated to cost €0.63 million in a full year, short-term schemes include such payments as unemployment benefit and assistance, disability benefit and supplementary welfare allowance. The higher education grant scheme is the responsibility of the Department of Education and Science, and the question of the means assessment for the scheme is a matter for that Department.
300 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will reverse her decision to cut the back to education allowance; the savings made by her Department by this cutback; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18098/03]
From this summer, BTEA participants who were in receipt of an unemployment payment prior to participation in the BTEA scheme are not entitled to payment for the summer months. Where those participants are unable to find employment during the summer period, they may, subject to satisfying the usual qualifying conditions, be entitled to unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance. For that reason, it is not possible to state what savings will accrue as a result of the measure. However, if all BTEA participants found work during the summer period, savings of some €12.5 million would accrue.
It should also be noted that BTEA participants progressing to the next year of their course or progressing in qualifications will have their BTEA reinstated from the beginning of the new academic year, irrespective of whether they were employed or in receipt of an unemployment payment during the summer.
