Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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114. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider in Budget 2024 extending the child dependent cut-off age to 24 years if the child is still attending a third-level course. [24669/23]

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 2023 I provided for the weekly rates of the Increase for a Qualified Child to increase by €2 for children of all ages. The current rates are €42 per week in the case of children under age 12 and €50 per week in the case of children aged 12 or over.

The measure is in recognition of the need for greater income support for welfare-dependent households with children. It is estimated that this measure will cost €30.4 million in 2023.

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