Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to bring the Social Welfare Bill (Child Benefit) Bill 2023 to Seanad Éireann. The purpose of the Bill is to give legislative effect to the child benefit summer bonus of €100 for each qualifying child, announced by the Government in February of this year. I am glad to say that the Bill received broad support in the Dáil. I welcome the support of all parties in the Dáil in that regard. It is good that we have common ground when it comes to supporting parents with children and teenagers.

Child benefit is a universal payment. It will reach many recipients who would otherwise not receive income supports from the Department of Social Protection, but for whom there are also financial challenges arising out of the cost-of-living crisis. Many of these are working families who have contributed through taxation and who now, in my view, deserve some support from the State. This cost-of-living bonus will be paid in respect of 1.2 million children at a cost of approximately €120 million. Child benefit is a monthly payment of €140 to support parents and guardians. It is usually paid to the child’s mother, and is paid for each child who is under 18 years-of-age if he or she is in full-time education or training or has a disability and cannot support himself or herself.

The Government has implemented a range of other cost-of-living measures targeted at the most vulnerable in our society and those who are most at risk of poverty. For example, a €200 lump sum payment to anyone in receipt of long-term social welfare payments was paid from Monday, 24 April and provided over €250 million in additional supports to those who need it. An additional €100 payment will also be paid this year in respect of each child for whom the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance is paid. For a child between the ages of four and 11, the payment will be €260 and for children between the ages of 12 and 22, it will be €385. The hot school meals programme will be extended to all DEIS primary schools from September, benefiting 64,500 children.

These measures are in addition to other measures implemented by the Government in 2022 and 2023 covering a wide range of other supports such as the autumn double payment for long-term welfare recipients, the Christmas bonus, fuel allowance supports, energy credits, reductions in student fees, reductions in childcare costs and reductions in public transport fares. As Senators can see, this Government has been active and agile in responding to the financial pressures many people in our community are experiencing.

I now turn to the provisions of the Bill. Section 1 temporarily modifies the effect of section 292 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, which will enable me to make regulations to pay the €100 summer bonus to child benefit recipients. Changes to child benefit payments are currently excluded from the existing regulation-making powers in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. Accordingly, it is necessary to temporarily modify section 292 of the Act to ensure there is a legislative basis to meet the commitment to pay the child benefit bonus in June. The regulation-making powers in relation to child benefit are temporary in nature and subject to a sunset clause of 31 December 2023. Following enactment of this legislation, the necessary regulations will be made by me in conjunction with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.

Section 2 is straightforward and contains the Short Title and construction of the Bill.

This is a short Bill, but nonetheless a significant one. I believe it is important to support families with children at this time of difficulty for many. Senators can be assured that the Government will continue to monitor the impact of cost-of-living pressures and will not be found wanting in further supporting people if the need arises. For now, I am pleased to introduce this particular improvement in respect of child benefit. I look forward to hearing contributions from Senators. I commend the Bill to the House. Go raibh maith agaibh.