Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on whether families in receipt of social welfare payments, with children over the age of 22 years in full time education, should have the payments for these children granted until they are finished their education and that age should not have a bearing on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11910/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Most social welfare payments provide for an increase in respect of qualified children.

Social welfare customers in receipt of a long term payment or in receipt of a short term payment for more than six months can claim an increase for each child who is over 18 years and up to age 22 and attending a full-time day course of education at an institute of education. If the child reaches age 22 during an academic year while attending a full-time day course of education, they continue to be regarded as a qualified child up to the end of that academic year, provided they continue to receive full-time education.

I am satisfied that this provision assists social welfare recipients in supporting a qualified child dependant up to and including primary degree level in most cases. Any improvement could only be considered in a budgetary context and in light of competing priorities.

I have no immediate plans to change current arrangements but I will keep the matter under review.