Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am looking at the longer period because this data goes back to 2011. There is a consistent downward trend. It is not on every item but generally there is a downward trend in the areas directly controlled by schools. We need to build on that. I am sure the Minister for Social Protection will look at the issue of the age at which child benefit is withdrawn. There is an ambition to look at school age so hopefully over time some of the problems the Deputy has referred to can be dealt with. It is a traditional feature of child benefit that it continues to the age of 16 initially, which was the compulsory school age. That is probably what influenced the Department of Social Protection.

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