Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 264: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he has any measure of support for the 18 year olds who are in full time education and are currently excluded from child payments and would only get support if they dropped out of school and became eligible for Youthreach and in order to support children in particular who might be at risk of early drop-out from school. [24528/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Child Benefit assists parents in the cost associated with raising children and it contributes towards alleviating child poverty. Between 2000 and 2009, overall expenditure on Child Benefit grew from just €638 million to approximately €2.5 billion per year. However, with tax revenues having fallen dramatically, we cannot afford to maintain spending at this level.

It was decided in Budget 2009 to limit spending on Child Benefit by lowering the upper age limit that currently applies from 19 years to 18 years. The impact of this measure was phased in, with payment for existing children being halved from January 2009 and payment stopping from the 18th birthday from January 2010. Budget 2009 provided for a compensatory payment of €15 per week to be made to people receiving a social welfare payment which included an increase in respect of an 18 year old child. Further compensatory measures were also applied to the Family Income Supplement (FIS) and the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme in respect of 18 year olds.

In recognition of the need to target limited available resources at persons on low incomes with children in full-time education a number of provisions have been introduced. These include the extension of entitlement to Increase for Qualified Child, payable to social welfare recipients in respect of qualifying child dependants, to age 22 where the parent of a full-time student (including third level) is in receipt of either a long-term social welfare payment, or a short-term social welfare payment for six months or more (short-term schemes include such payments as Jobseeker's Benefit and assistance, Illness Benefit and Supplementary Welfare Allowance). It also includes the provision of a weekly payment to low paid employees with families through the Family Income Supplement (FIS) scheme. Under this scheme, a qualified child is any child under the age of 18 or aged 18 to 22 in full-time education. This supplement is paid where a family's weekly income is below a specified amount for the family size, and is calculated at 60% of the difference between the net family income (i.e. gross pay less tax, PRSI, health contribution, superannuation) and the relevant income limit.

Low income families may also be entitled to a Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, which is administered by the Health Service Executive and operates from the beginning of June to the end of September each year.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back to work enterprise allowance on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24546/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the tabular statement.

Table: Number of Persons in receipt of Back to Work Enterprise Allowance by County, 2009