Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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449. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider an increase in monthly payment under the child benefit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36443/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. Currently, the payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. The extension of Child Benefit to 18 year olds was one of my key priorities in Budget 2024 and I am very pleased that we were able to bring that change in from May this year.

Child Benefit is paid at €140 per month. Twins are paid at one and a half times the standard monthly rate for each child, that is, €210 per month for each twin. All other multiple births are paid at double the standard monthly rate for each child, that is €280 per child.

Child Benefit is currently in payment to approximately 677,000 families in respect of approximately 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of €2.2 billion for 2024.

Child Benefit is kept under review in the context of the annual Budget and potential increases can only be considered in that context.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.