According to reports this morning parents will receive an increase in their child benefits later this year although it may not be much.
The news comes after the Tánaiste Joan Burton has said she is pushing for increase of about €5 in child benefit extra a month (or €60 a year), Ms Burton made the claims as the pre-election budget talks have gotten underway this week. The Tánaiste also says she is putting forward a motion that will see around 40,000 workers being taken out of the universal social charge (USC). Ms Burton says she is hoping to convince her fellow government ministers to scrap the tax for a number of workers by raising the entry point at which the charge is levied. The Tánaiste also claims that low-and-middle-income earners could avoid the charge completely.
Ms Burton told The Irish Times: “We the government increased child benefit last year by €5, and we are aiming to do something similar this year.” However she clearly stated that no final decision has been made over the upcoming budget and any proposed increases will be subject to what extra funds the government have available. The Tánaiste further explained: “I would like to see an increase in child benefit in the same order of last year.” “It applies equally to people in and out of work, so it doesn’t impact on the attractiveness of work. It allows families choices in relation to whether or not some of it would be used for the general cost of children or for paid childcare. I’m anxious to improve it again.”
The proposed changes come as the government are set to introduce controversial changes to welfare benefits for lone parents, which will see single parents in receipt of social welfare being forced to seek employment or training after their youngest child reaches the age of seven. The new changes are expected to be put in place this Wednesday July 1st.