Lucky babies to leap at €100 birthday bonus

BABIES lucky enough to be born on the final day of this month – February 29 in a Leap year – are to get a €100 bounty payment from the government.

The move was announced yesterday by Social and Family Affairs Minister Mary Coughlan to mark the 10th anniversary of the International Year of the Family.

The gesture could lead to the government making as many as 165 payments, based on average daily birth figures.

The bounties will signal the start of a government-funded campaign to celebrate the Year of the Family anniversary.

Ms Coughlan said she would be unveiling details of the broader scheme later, and the one-off payments were intended to launch the plan.

“Leap years are special, and babies born on the 29 will effectively have to wait another four years for their birthday. I felt they should be given a special welcome this year.”

Arrangements will be made through maternity hospitals for payment of the Leap year bonuses.