Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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623. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will extend the child dependent cut off-age to 24 years in cases in which the child is still attending a third level course (details supplied). [37670/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Most weekly social welfare payments include an additional payment known as an Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) in respect of each qualified child up to age 18. This is extended to encompass older school or college going children up to age 22 under certain circumstances. This increase provides targeted assistance that is directly linked with household income and family-size to support low-income families.

In Budget 2022 I provided for the weekly rates of the Increase for a Qualified Child to increase by €2 to €40 per week in the case of children under age 12 and by €3 to €48 per week in the case of children age 12 or over.

The measure is in recognition of the need for greater income support for welfare-dependent households with children. It includes a higher level increase for children aged 12 and over, in recognition of the higher costs faced by families with older children. It is estimated that this measure will cost €39.3 million in 2022.

There are no plans to increase the age in respect of which an Increase for a Qualified Child is payable.