Written answers

Thursday, 16 July 2015

Department of Social Protection

Child Benefit Data

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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85. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number and percentage of claims under the child benefit scheme that are reviewed yearly; if the claims for review are selected randomly or on a targeted basis; if targeted, how is this determined; the number of claimants who have had more than one review in the past five years; the number of claims that have been withdrawn and reinstated in the past two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29979/15]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Child benefit is a payment to parents for the support of their children. It is paid to some 615,000 families in respect of 1.18 million children, with an expenditure of approximately €1.9 billion in 2014.

Safeguarding the child benefit budget is a priority and in this regard, the Department has taken a very strong approach to ensuring that it is only paid to eligible families. A control strategy has been adopted and operated by the Department which includes risk assessment, surveys of the levels of fraud and error, scheme specific review policies, data matching initiatives with both external and internal parties and investigation of anonymous reports.

A policy of issuing continuing eligibility certificates to parents commenced in 2008 and is still in operation. The child benefit control programme is kept under regular review based on the outcomes achieved. The continuing eligibility certificate programme forms part of the overall child benefit control programme and is included and described in the control policy for the scheme. The control policy is reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that controls in place to prevent fraud and abuse continue to be effective and relevant.

The Department undertook approximately 400,000 continuing eligibility reviews of child benefit EFT customers in 2014, representing some two thirds of all child benefit customers. This control activity generated some €70 million in savings in respect of expenditure that would otherwise have occurred.

During 2013 and 2014, the number of child benefit claims stopped as a result of the continuing eligibility reviews was 8,500. In the past five years all customers paid by EFT have received more than one continuing eligibility certificate, while those paid at a post office have received one certificate.

In 2015, a continuing eligibility certificate will issue to all Irish, including naturalised Irish, customers, to EU customers who are paid by EFT and based on their residency in Ireland and to all customers from outside of the EU. Two certificates will issue to all customers, including Irish, who are paid or part paid child benefit in Ireland on the basis of their continued employment within the EU. It is not proposed to issue continuing eligibility certificates to customers paid at their local post office, representing some 168,000 customers, during 2015 as these confirm their identity and ongoing eligibility when collecting payment.

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