Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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402. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address the anomaly that exists whereby a person aged 22 years and over can be deemed a dependent for SUSI grant purposes, but is no longer a qualified child dependent for social welfare purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6809/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Increase for a Qualified Child is a child-related supplement to most weekly social welfare payments in recognition of the need for greater incomes among benefit-dependent households with dependent children. The payment is generally made until the child reaches age 18 but where the child continues in full-time education, the payment can continue up to age 22 or up to the end of the academic year in which the child turns 22.

In Budget 2023, I provided for the weekly rates of the Increase for a Qualified Child to increase to €42 per week in the case of children under age 12 and to €50 per week in the case of children aged 12 or over. These increases took effect last month at an estimated cost of €30.4 million in 2023.

As a result, these rates will have increased by €6 for under 12s and by €10 for over 12s over the last three Budgets.

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

The Student Grant Scheme is the main financial support scheme for students studying in Ireland and abroad. Rules relating to the operation of this scheme are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.