Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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538. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal had their partial capacity benefit reduced despite having supplied his Department with a signed declaration as evidence of their child dependant continuing in third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13664/17]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a scheme which allows a person, who may not have full capacity for work, return to employment and continue to receive a payment from my Department. Under the scheme increases are payable in respect of qualified children up to the age of eighteen.

These increases can be paid up to the age of twenty two where evidence is shown that the child is in full-time education. The person concerned is in receipt of PCB and has three children, two of whom are aged over eighteen.

Payment of a child dependant increase in respect of one child over eighteen was restored on 1 February 2017 when evidence of continuing attendance at a third level course was received by the Department. Arrears from 16 September 2016 to 25 January 2017 were paid at that time.

Another child reached eighteen years of age on 12 January 2017 and, following receipt of evidence that the child was still in full-time education, payment of the child dependant increase in respect of this child was restored on 14 March 2017 with arrears from 12 January 2017 to 8 March 2017 paid at that time.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.