Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason, when a child is placed in foster care their child benefit and child care allowance remains payable to the natural parents for the first six months in view of the fact that in many cases the natural parents have addiction problems and these allowances may be used for a purpose other than what it is intended for; if he will put changes in place to ensure that the benefit and allowance follow the child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16113/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Prior to this month, child benefit continued to be paid to the birth parent where the child was placed in foster care, regardless of the duration of foster care and even where the level of support provided by the birth parent was only marginal or occasional in nature. However, as the purpose of child benefit is to assist toward the ongoing cost of child rearing, I made provision for payment of child benefit to transfer to foster parents from the 7 th month of foster care.

In introducing this change, it was considered inappropriate to withdraw child benefit from a parent in respect of short periods of foster care, such as during a period of recuperation from illness in the case of a single parent without family or other supports. As it would not be feasible to legislate for all possible scenarios and in consideration of the difficulties in administering short term changes, it was considered that payment should remain with the birth parent for the first six months of foster care.

These arrangements were introduced following discussions with the Health Service Executive and the Irish Foster Care Association.