Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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276. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider an extension to child benefit payments for parents who continue to have children in education after the age of 18 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49255/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, 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 until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to over 631,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of more than €2.1 billion in 2022.

To assist families with the cost of living, in Budget 2023, I have provided for Child Benefit recipients to receive a double payment in November. This will benefit approximately 638,000 recipients in respect of approximately 1.2 million children. This measure will cost an estimated €170.4 million.

There are currently no plans to extend Child Benefit in respect of full-time students in second level education who are over 18 years of age. Such an extension would have significant cost implications.

Families on low incomes may be able to avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:

- Increase for a Qualified Child (IQCs) with primary social welfare payments;

- the Working Family Payment for low-paid employees with children; and

- the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.

I am pleased that Budget 2023 includes a Social Welfare package of over €2.1 billion. Budget 2023 provides for a €40 weekly increase in the Working Family Payment income limits for families of all sizes from January at a cost of approximately €16.8 million in 2023. I have also provided for a €500 lump sum payment to all families in receipt of the payment in November 2022 at an estimated cost of €23 million.

I also provided for the weekly rates of the Increase for a Qualified Child to increase by €2 to €42 per week in the case of children under age 12 and by €2 to €50 per week in the case of children aged 12 or over. These increase will take effect from January at an estimated cost of €30.4 million in 2023.

These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.