Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 April 2016
18. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to allow child benefit to be shared between both parents, where separated parents equally share custody; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5411/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraChild benefit is a universal monthly payment made to the parents/guardians of children that assists families with the cost associated with raising children. Currently, child benefit is paid to around 620,000 families in respect of some 1.19 million children with an estimated expenditure in the order of over €2 billion in 2016.
The needs of the children are the priority consideration in the payment of child benefit. Under Section 220 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005, child benefit is payable to the person with whom a qualified child normally resides and the child will not be regarded as normally residing with more than one person. Regulations governing normal residence for child benefit purposes are contained in S.I. 142/2007 (Article 159) and they provide inter alia for the following:
(1) In the event that a qualified child is resident with both mother and father, he or she will be regarded as normally residing with the mother or step-mother;
(2) If mother and father are resident in separate households, the qualified child shall be regarded as normally residing with the person with whom he or she resides for the majority of the time.
In practice, child benefit is paid to the child’s mother in all cases except where the parents are separated and the father has responsibility for the full-time care of the child for more than 50% of the time.
The regulations governing the scheme do not provide for the splitting of the payment between parties in cases of shared residency arrangements for the child.
If the Deputy wishes to have a particular case considered in further detail by the Department, I will arrange this if he sends me the details.
