Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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755. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there is a way of making the system for EU child benefit payments (details supplied) simpler and easier to reassess on an annual basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37576/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department regularly reviews its processes to ensure the most efficient and customer friendly methods are used at all times.

Processing and payment of family benefits where more than one country is involved is governed by EU Regulations 883 of 2004 and 987 of 2009.

In the case of the named individual, Ireland is competent to pay a top up payment (a supplement) equal to the difference between the amount of family benefits paid by the UK and the amount that they would be paid if Ireland was the fully competent Member State. The Department must ascertain the amount paid by the UK in child tax credits and child benefit in order to calculate the amount due.

Notifications of the amount of UK family benefits in payment are issued annually in April to recipients and the Department requests this information after it has been sent to claimants.

The Department will continue to review this policy and if a simpler method is feasible this will be examined.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.