Written answers
Tuesday, 19 April 2005
Department of Social and Family Affairs
Anti-Poverty Strategy.
9:00 pm
Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his Department is on target to achieve its NAP-inclusion target of setting child benefit and child dependant allowance at between 33% and 35% of the minimum adult social welfare payment by 2007, as outlined in the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11914/05]
Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is referring to the target in the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion to increase the lowest social welfare rates to â¬150 per week â in 2002 terms â by 2007 and to set the appropriate equivalence level of child income support â child benefit and child dependant allowances combined â at 33% to 35% of the adult rates.
We remain on target to achieve this objective. In budget 2005, the lowest rates of social welfare were increased by â¬14 per week to â¬148.80 while the rates of child benefit were increased by â¬10 per month for the first two children and by â¬12 per month for the third and subsequent children. The new child benefit rates, which came into effect this month, are â¬141.60 and â¬177.30 per month, respectively.
The equivalent level of child income support â combining child benefit and child dependant allowances â now stand at 33.3% of the lowest social welfare rate for those receiving the lower rate of child benefit and 38.8% for those on the higher rate.
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