Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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77. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the age limit for receipt of child benefit beyond 17 years to include dependent children still in full-time education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14379/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Child benefit is a monthly universal payment made to families with children, which assists all parents with the cost associated with raising children. Child benefit is paid to around 616,000 families in respect of some 1.17 million children, with an estimated expenditure of around €1.9 billion in 2014. Child benefit as a “universal” payment is paid in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education or who have a disability.

Budget 2009 provided for the reduction of the age for which child benefit is paid from under 19 years of age to under 18 years of age. A value for money review of child income supports, published by the Department of Social Protection in 2010, found that the participation pattern of children in education supports the 18 year age limit for child benefit.

For families on low incomes there are a number of provisions to social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:

- qualified child increases (QCIs) with primary social welfare payments

- family income supplement (FIS) for low-paid employees with children

- The back to school clothing and footwear allowance for low income families.

The Government is conscious that child benefit is an important source of income for families. Budget 2015 increased child benefit by €5, from €130 to €135 per month or €60 per annum.

However, I have no plans to make any changes to the age threshold for child benefit.