Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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1355.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the qualified child increase payment in 2025 by €6 for children aged under 12 years, and €15 for those aged 12 years and over; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32710/24]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1381.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing qualified child rates by €6 for children under 12 and €15 for children 12 and over. [32960/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1355 and 1381 together.

The estimated full year cost of increasing the qualified child rate by €6 for under 12's is €70.9m and by €15 for over 12's is €65.9m.

These costings are based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2024, and is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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1356.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing child benefit by €10 a month in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32711/24]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1382.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing child benefit by €50. [32961/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1356 and 1382 together.

Child Benefit is a universal monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their nineteenth birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to over 650,000 families in respect of over 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of approximately €2.2 billion in 2024.

The estimated cost of increasing the monthly rate of Child Benefit by €10 is approximately €12.9 million per month or €154.7 million per year. A €10 monthly increase would bring the estimated annual expenditure on Child Benefit to in excess of €2.3 billion.

The estimated cost of increasing the monthly rate of Child Benefit by €50 is approximately €64.4 million per month or €773.3 million per year. A €50 monthly increase would bring the estimated annual expenditure on Child Benefit to in excess of €2.9 billion.

These estimates are based on a full year basis and on the number of recipients in 2024. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated number of recipients.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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1357.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of every €10 increase in the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32712/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Working Family Payment is a tax-free payment which provides an income top-up for employees, with children, with low earnings. It is a targeted measure that is directly linked to household income and therefore directly supports low-income working families.

There are currently some 46,000 households in receipt of the Working Family Payment, in respect of some 98,000 children. The payment made is 60% of the difference between weekly household income and the Working Family Payment income threshold that applies. The thresholds that apply are based on the number of children in a household.

Estimated expenditure on the scheme in 2024 is €375 million.

The full year cost of increasing the Working Family Payment income thresholds, for all families sizes, by €10 per week is estimated at €1.9 million. It should be noted that this estimate is based on current numbers of recipients only.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.