If parents aren’t happy with child benefit payments 'they can give it back'

Heather Humphreys: 'If people don’t need it, they can give it back, but I don’t think that’s the case. Most people I know do need it and are glad to get it.' Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photo

The Minister for Social Protection has hailed the largest welfare package in the State’s history, and said that if parents aren’t happy with the double-double child benefit payment “they can give it back”.

The €2.6bn bumper package includes across-the-board increases to welfare payments of at least €12, lump sums for working families and carers, and the promise that hot school meals will roll out for all primary schools by the end of next year.

Other notable measures introduced include:

• Welfare bonuses in October and December;
• €15 per week increase in maternity, paternity, adoptive, and parent’s benefits from January next year;
• €300 fuel allowance lump sum payment and a €200 one-off payment for people living alone;
• A ‘baby boost’ payment of €420 for newborns;
• Increase in child support payments;
• A free travel ‘companion pass’ for all those aged over 70 from next September.

When queried as to whether the double-double child benefit payment is needed, given it is a universal payment, Heather Humphreys said the version of that benefit paid after last year’s budget had proven “extremely, extremely popular”.

“I worked in a credit union for many years, and people say that millionaires get it (child benefit). I didn’t see too many millionaires, I saw a lot of parents who were damn glad of it.

“Rearing children is expensive, it’s so difficult when you think of the costs that families have, and as I said, last year it was very well received.

“If people don’t need it, they can give it back, but I don’t think that’s the case. Most people I know do need it and are glad to get it,” the minister said.

Asked whether or not she was actually appealing for better-off families to return the benefit, she replied: “It’s a universal payment, if you start means-testing, you’ll have winners and you’ll have losers.”

When asked if such a two-tier, means-tested child benefit might not serve to bring thousands of children out of child poverty, the minister said the hikes in weekly child support payments introduced in the Budget of €4 and €8 for under-12s and over-12s respectively would serve the same purpose of “targeting low-income families”.

She denied there had been tensions between Fine Gael and their coalition partners over the increase to the rate of jobseekers benefit of €12.

“To be clear, I get on extremely well with the Tánaiste and the Green Party leader.

“I made my case but at the end of the day there are three parties in Government, my priority was to ensure the best package I could get for pensioners, carers, and people with disabilities.”

Asked why, given that hot school meals for many primary schools had been promised last February and have yet to be delivered, Ms Humphreys noted that the scheme is voluntary, adding that is such a scheme “is good for the children, it’s good for their educational attainment”.

Queried as to the nutritional benefit of such meals, Ms Humphreys said that the Department had consulted with the HSE “about getting the right standards”.