WATCH: Government plan to extend child benefit over 18 in October’s Budget
MINISTER Heather Humphreys has announced the government will be looking to extend the child benefit payment to those over 18 in secondary school in the upcoming Budget.
The announcement came during the Fine Gael ‘think-in’ which took place today (Friday September 15) in the Limerick Strand Hotel in Limerick City.
Minister Humphreys said; “It ceases when a child turns 18 and I want to look at extending this. It has been raised with me on a number of occasions that when a child is in secondary school and they turn 18 the child benefit payment will automatically stop. I want to ensure a way that this does not happen and the payment will be made up until a child finishes secondary education and I am certainly going to look at that.”
Minister Humphreys also noted that she is planning on addressing food poverty among children including extending the Schools Meal Programme saying; “My ambition is that any child that is born this year in this country will have a school meal by the time they get to primary school.”
Alongside Minister Humphreys was Minister Simon Covney whose focus is on ‘intergenerational poverty’ in the October Budget particularly in terms of support for part-time adult education.
Currently there is no financial support for those who are in part-time education there is currently only support for those who are in full-time education.
Minister Harris notices that this is not possible for many families saying; “ One of the ways to address intergenerational poverty is helping parents get back to education. At the moment we have a ludicrous situation where you can only access support if you are doing it full-time. Now how can a one parent family hold down the fort and be expected to go off to university full-time, it simply doesn't make much sense. I have directed my officials to prepare plans now to ensure student support schemes can be available for all groups in need on a part-time basis. It ensures a way and a speed at which you can study at your own pace.”