Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 June 2018
59. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans for reforms to child benefit; her further plans to introduce means testing; her plans to increase it in budget 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26562/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraChild Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. It is designed as a universal payment, in recognition of the costs involved in raising children, and plays an important role in tackling child poverty. As a universal payment it does not rely on a means test or social insurance contributions. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to almost 629,000 families in respect of nearly 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure of over €2 billion in 2018. I do not intend introducing a means-test for Child Benefit. Means testing Child Benefit is not being considered by Government, and is not provided for in the Programme for Government. As Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, I support the universality of the Child Benefit payment, and the principle that all families with children should receive this income support. Given the universality of Child Benefit it is not a payment which lends itself to a targeted approach and the considerable costs associated with any upward adjustment to the payment can result in benefits being spread very thinly, rather than making a difference where there is most need. Any such proposal would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
Government policy is to provide additional supports for parents and their children through increased services, rather than increased cash transfers. This includes such services as free early years education through the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme, and enhanced provision of affordable childcare.
