Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Given the week I have had, I appreciate the Deputy putting this question.

Child 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 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 paid to almost 629,000 families in respect of nearly 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure of more than €2 billion in 2018.

In recent days I have made my position on the child benefit payment very clear. I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to explain it on the record of the House. I will not, and I have never intended to, introduce 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. Government policy is to provide additional supports for parents and their children through increased services rather than through increased cash transfers. This includes such services as free early years education through the early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme, and enhanced provision of affordable childcare.

As the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, I genuinely and wholeheartedly support the universality of the child benefit payment, the system we have, and the principle that all families with children should receive this income support.

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