Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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243. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if there is any means by which a parent of triplets who will reach their 18th birthday in fifth year of secondary school and will lose a significant payment from the child benefit section can access any financial supports until the completion of their Leaving Certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31589/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Child benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children 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 physical or mental disability. Child benefit is currently paid to around 610,000 families in respect of some 1.16 million children, with an estimated expenditure of around €1.9 billion in 2014. For twins, Child Benefit is paid at one and a half times the normal monthly rate for each child. For triplets and other multiple births, Child Benefit is paid at double the normal monthly rate for each child.

Budget 2009 reduced the age for eligibility for child benefit from 19 years to less than 18 years. A value for money review of child income supports, published by the Department of Social Protection in 2010, found that the current participation pattern of children in education supports the current age limit for Child Benefit.

Families on low incomes can avail of 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.

This provides a level of assistance which is directly linked with a household’s income situation. I am satisfied that the social protection system currently provides assistance to families with older children who are participating in full-time education and that this support is targeted at low-income families.