Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 June 2026
357. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the first year and full year cost of expanding the guardian's payment (non-contributory) threshold by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% respectively. [46596/26]
View answerGuardian’s payment (contributory) is a social insurance payment and guardian's payment (non-contributory), is a social assistance (means tested) payment made to a person caring for a child who satisfies the definition of an “orphan” under social welfare legislation.
A child is considered an orphan if they are under 18 (or 22 if in full time education) and both parents are deceased; or one parent is either dead or unknown or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child and the other parent is unknown or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child. The purpose of the guardian's payment scheme is to provide income support in respect of those children whose parents are unable to provide for them, through death or other circumstances.
The means test for guardian’s payment (non-contributory) is based on the means of the child. Means includes any income belonging to the child and any property or an asset that could provide them with an income. The means of the guardian, including any maintenance payments made to them in respect of the child, are not assessed when establishing entitlement to the payment.
Guardian's payment is currently paid in respect of 2,738 children, 843 of whom are paid guardian’s payment (non-contributory). It is payable at a maximum weekly rate of €237.00 per child and is the highest rate of weekly child income support paid by my Department. Where the means of the child exceed €7.60 per week, payment is made on a sliding scale, and where the weekly means exceed €240.10 per week, it is not payable.
Of the 843 children for whom Guardians Payment (Non-Contributory) is being paid, 32 are receiving a reduced rate. Extending the means threshold by 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% is unlikely to increase the number of children who would be eligible for the payment and therefore the cost is negligible.
However, any expanding of the means threshold for guardian's payment (non-contributory) would have to be considered in the overall context of the budgetary resources available.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
