Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2026
454. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 346 of 5 February 2026, if Tusla will set up a meeting with a family to discuss their situation regarding guardians payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11565/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraGuardian’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 up to age 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 dead or unknown, or has abandoned and failed to provide for the child.
It was decided on the 16th August 2025 that the person concerned was not entitled to guardian's payment, in respect of her grandsons, as they do not satisfy the definition of an "orphan" under social welfare legislation. A review of this decision was completed on the 5th September 2025, however the original decision remained unchanged.
The person concerned appealed the decision to the Chief Appeals Officer, and her appeal was disallowed on the 23rd October 2025. The Chief Appeals Officer operates independently of my department.
In addition to the universal monthly payment of child benefit of €140 per child, my department has a number of other payments available to assist families with children, including –
• Working Family Payment which is a means-tested income support payment for families where one or more adult is working.
• Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, which is an annual payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn.
• Supplementary Welfare Allowance, includes payments to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
• To qualify for these schemes, a person must meet the specific scheme qualifying criteria including satisfying a means test. Income from employment is assessed in the means test.
• Matters relating to foster care and Foster Care Allowance are a matter for the Child and Family Agency (Túsla), which falls under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality.
• I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
