Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the action she has taken in the context of the EU Council of Ministers meetings to put the case that Ireland is disadvantaged under EU rules in relation to child payments for non-resident children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16972/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The social security rights of people living and working in the EU are governed by EU Regulations 1408/71 and 574/72. The regulations coordinated social security systems and are designed to ensure that people are not disadvantaged by moving within the EU to take up work.

The regulations are also intended to guarantee, within the Community, equality of treatment under various national legislation to workers living in the Member States and their dependants and survivors. Accordingly, persons residing in the territory of a Member State to whom the regulation applies are subject to the same obligations and enjoy the same benefits under the legislation of a Member State as the nationals of that State.

Generally speaking, the country of employment is the competent State for the payment of family benefits. Accordingly, the growth in the number of migrant workers in Ireland has meant a very significant increase in the amount of child benefit payments being exported to other EU countries - though the numbers involved are relatively very small. Indeed, less than 1% of overall child benefit payments made by my Department are in respect of children living abroad. All Member States of the EU are obliged to implement these arrangements and Ireland is therefore not alone in making child benefit payments for non-resident children.

Freedom of movement for workers and equality of treatment with nationals of the host country, are fundamental principles of the EU. The social security regulations are designed to support these principles. I am also conscious of the very significant contribution migrant workers have made to the growth and development of our economy over the last decade. The Government believes that, on balance, the Irish people have benefited from the EU principles of freedom of movement and equality of treatment with nationals of the host country.