Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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173. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of cases before the High Court in which the payment of child benefit is being contested on equality grounds; the implications of these cases for general policy in relation to payment of child benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17789/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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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 disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to around 623,607 families in respect of some 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure in the order of over €2 billion in 2016.

There are currently 8 cases before the High Court brought by asylum seekers/declared refugees/persons in receipt of subsidiary protection, claiming that they are being discriminated against and are not being equally before the law in the context of backdating child benefit. There are no cases before the High Court brought solely under the Equal Status Acts 2000-2015.

The day-to-day needs of the children are the priority consideration in the operation of the current child benefit payment arrangements.

The Department regularly reviews all of its schemes, including Child Benefit, in order to ensure that they are still delivering on their original policy aims and objectives.