Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:362. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of expanding the back-to-school allowance to children under four. [46601/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSocial Welfare Schemes
Ceisteanna (362)
Freagraí scríofa
The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year. The rates of payment for the 2026 scheme are €160 for children aged between 2 and 11 years and €285 for children aged 12 and over.In Budget 2026, I was pleased to secure funding for 2026 to extend the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance to include children aged 2 and 3, for the first time. It is estimated that an additional 35,000 children aged 2 and 3 will be eligible to receive the payment in 2026, at an estimated cost of €5.6m.
Assuming that a similar number of children aged under 2 years were eligible for the payment, the additional cost would be €5.6m. As the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a once-off payment annually, the first year and full year costs are the same.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Departmental Data
Ceisteanna (363)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:363. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of a device allowance for schoolchildren whose schools are using tablets to the value of €1,000 per student allocated according to the same means test as the medical card. [46602/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Matters relating to devices in schools is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Education and Youth. Minister Naughton is keenly aware of the challenges faced by educators and parents in relation to the costs of digital technology, including tablets and her department continues to work to help support schools and families with these costs.
Minister Naughton announced a €35 million investment in schools for ICT infrastructure from January 2026. This €35 million in ICT grant funding represents the fourth tranche of ICT funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 and builds on the €210 million already allocated under the previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment and the €135 million that has issued to date under the current strategy.
This funding issues directly to schools, as schools are best placed to identify the requirements of their own student cohort and to meet those requirements in accordance with their digital learning planning. This can include the purchase of ICT devices such as tablets or laptops, and the implementation of loan schemes for same if needed. Accordingly, I have no plans to change the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme to include a specific device payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Parental Leave
Ceisteanna (364, 384, 385)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:364. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of expanding adoptive leave to 26-weeks. [46603/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:384. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of extending maternity benefit by an additional two weeks. [46720/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:385. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of extending parent's benefit by an additional two weeks. [46721/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 364, 384 and 385 together.
The Department for Children, Disability and Equality has policy and legal responsibility for all family leaves, including any extension to the period of leave under the various schemes. My Department has responsibility for the associated benefits.
Extending Adoptive leave by two weeks from twenty four weeks to twenty six weeks would result in an estimated additional annual cost of over €18,000 with a new total annual cost of some €237,000. However, the cost would be more if the number of adoptions increase in future years.
Extending Maternity Benefit by an additional two weeks, from its current twenty six weeks entitlement to twenty eight weeks could result in an estimated additional annual cost of over €23 million with a new total annual cost of some €324 million.
Extending Parent’s Benefit by two weeks from its current nine weeks to eleven weeks per parent could result in an additional annual cost of over €27 million with a new total annual cost of over €150 million.
It should be noted that these costings have been calculated using 2026 expenditure estimates. They are based on estimated recipient numbers and take up and are therefore subject to change.
Any changes to these schemes would have to be considered in a budgetary context having regard to overall improvements to social welfare schemes and the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund.
Social Welfare Schemes
Ceisteanna (365)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:365. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of expanding the carer’s allowance threshold by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% respectively. [46604/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Programme for Government contains the commitment to continue to significantly increase the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance across a series of Budgets with a view to phasing out the means test over the lifetime of the Government.
Budget 2026 has increased the earnings disregard for Carer’s Allowance by €375 to €1,000 per week for a single person and by €750 to €2,000 per week for a couple. These are the largest ever increases in the Carer's Allowance income disregards and are evidence of the Government's determination to deliver on its commitment to Carers. This change will be effective from July this year.
As a result, further increases to the income disregards cannot be costed without analysis of the impact of the upcoming increase in July. Any changes to the Carer's Allowance income disregards would have to be considered in a budgetary context and as part of the annual Budget process.
Pension Provisions
Ceisteanna (366, 390)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:366. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of increasing the State pensions, contributory and non-contributory respectively by €10. [46605/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:390. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the first year and full year cost of increasing the pension by €5. [46759/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 366 and 390 together.
The estimated full year cost of increasing State Pension by €5 and €10 is as below.
|
State Pension |
€5 increase |
€10 increase |
|
Contributory |
€139.8 million |
€279.6 million |
|
Non-Contributory |
€26.5 million |
€53.0 million |
It should be noted that these costings are subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2026.
It should also be noted that these costings include proportionate increases for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant.
Departmental Data
Ceisteanna (367)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:367. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of a €400 lump sum payment to all recipients of a social welfare payment. [46606/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The estimated cost of providing a once-off lump sum payment of €400 to all recipients of a weekly social welfare payment is €586.9 million.
It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and the associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2026.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Departmental Data
Ceisteanna (368, 369, 370, 371, 377, 378, 379)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:368. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated monthly payment per child that would be required under a supplementary child benefit payment to ensure that no household currently receiving working family payment would experience a reduction in disposable income. [46657/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:369. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated monthly payment per child that would be required under a supplementary child benefit payment to ensure that no household currently receiving one-parent family payment would experience a reduction in disposable income. [46658/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:370. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated monthly payment per child that would be required under a supplementary child benefit payment to ensure that no household currently receiving jobseeker’s transitional payment would experience a reduction in disposable income. [46659/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:371. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated monthly payment per child that would be required under a supplementary child benefit payment to ensure that no household currently receiving the child support payment would experience a reduction in disposable income. [46660/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:377. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first-year and full-year net Exchequer cost or saving of replacing working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment and the child support payment with a supplementary child benefit payment of:€50 per month; €75 per month; €100 per month; €125 per month; and €150 per month, per child. [46666/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:378. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first and full-year cost of replacing working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment and the child support payment with a supplementary child benefit payment designed to ensure that no household currently eligible for those payments would experience a reduction in disposable income and the monthly payment per child required under such a model; and the number of children who would benefit, with the information provided, in tabular form. [46667/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:379. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated impact on the at-risk-of-poverty rate after housing costs among children; the consistent poverty rate among children; and the enforced deprivation rate among children of replacing working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment and the child support payment with a supplementary child benefit designed to ensure that no currently eligible household would be worse off. [46668/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 368, 369, 370, 371, 377, 378 and 379 together.
The Working Family Payment, One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment each have their own eligibility criteria and means/income tests which affect the entitlement and rate a person or family receives. The Child Support Payment is a supplement to a primary payment payment, whereby the rate paid is conditional on the eligibility criteria and means test of the primary payment. Replacing these payments with a supplementary child benefit payment designed to ensure that no household currently eligible for those payments would experience a reduction in disposable income would require careful design and consideration of scheme interactions.
In the absence of a comprehensive design of the new payment and a detailed analysis of current customers it is not possible to provide the estimated monthly payment per child that would be required to ensure that no household currently eligible for those payments would experience a reduction in disposable income.
Similarly, it is not possible to estimate the cost of such a change, or the estimated impact on the at-risk-of-poverty rate after housing costs, the consistent poverty rate or the enforced deprivation rate among children.
Question No. 369 answered with Question No. 368.
Question No. 370 answered with Question No. 368.
Question No. 371 answered with Question No. 368.
Departmental Data
Ceisteanna (372, 373, 374, 375, 376)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:372. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first-year and full-year cost of paying an additional child benefit supplement of €50 per month per child to all children currently covered by working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment or the child support payment. [46661/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:373. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first-year and full-year cost of paying an additional child benefit supplement of €75 per month per child to all children currently covered by working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment or the child support payment. [46662/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:374. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first-year and full-year cost of paying an additional child benefit supplement of €100 per month per child to all children currently covered by working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment or the child support payment. [46663/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:375. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first-year and full-year cost of paying an additional child benefit supplement of €125 per month per child to all children currently covered by working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment or the child support payment. [46664/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLouise O'Reilly
Ceist:376. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first-year and full-year cost of paying an additional child benefit supplement of €150 per month per child to all children currently covered by working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment or the child support payment. [46665/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 372, 373, 374, 375 and 376 together.
Most weekly social welfare payments, including both the One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment, include a Child Support Payment in respect of each qualified child up to the age of 18, which is extended to encompass older children to age 22 under certain circumstances. Child Support Payments are paid for each child in the family and the rate of payment is higher for children aged 12 years or older.
Working Family Payment is a payment for lower-income employees with children, which provides a payment to bridge the gap between earnings and the cost of raising a family.
As of the end of May, approximately 429,000 children were supported through a Child Support Payment or Working Family Payment.
The estimated annual cost of providing an additional per month child benefit supplement to 429,000 children is shown in the table below:
|
Proposed Supplementary Amount |
Estimated Annual Cost (€) |
|
€50 |
€257,400,000 |
|
€75 |
€386,100,000 |
|
€100 |
€514,800,000 |
|
€125 |
€643,500,000 |
|
€150 |
€772,200,000 |
It is important to note that these figures represent a snapshot in time and further research and calculation would be required to refine them further. Any changes to payments would need to considered in an overall Budgetary context.
Question No. 373 answered with Question No. 372.
Question No. 374 answered with Question No. 372.
Question No. 375 answered with Question No. 372.
Question No. 376 answered with Question No. 372.
Question No. 377 answered with Question No. 368.
Question No. 378 answered with Question No. 368.
Question No. 379 answered with Question No. 368.
Departmental Data
Ceisteanna (380)
Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:380. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the SWITCH tax-benefit microsimulation model has been used to assess replacing working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment and the child support payment with a supplementary child benefit; and, if so, to provide the results. [46669/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to explore the introduction of a targeted child benefit payment. In line with this commitment my Department launched a public consultation on May 5th on a potential new targeted child payment (also referred to as a second-tier child benefit) and working age payment. The consultation process concluded on June 12th.
The new targeted child payment seeks to simplify current payments options for families, providing similar support to families on similar incomes, without the need to be in receipt of a primary social welfare payment. This, in turn, aims to support the Government to meet its child poverty target of 3% consistent poverty by the end of the decade.
These are complex reforms, and it will take time to consider the input from the consultation process, and to progress a more detailed design. When a more detailed design is developed, extensive analysis will be undertaken to assess the effect of the change which will include modelling in the SWITCH system.
I trust this clarify the matter for the Deputy.