A REPORT COMPILED by an advisory group to the Social Protection Minister has recommended a so-called “two tier” child benefit system, which would see child benefit payments cut to about €100 per month.
The report, seen by RTÉ’s The Week in Politics programme, recommends that the universal payment be cut and “top up” payments made to low-income families – a move which is expected to save up to €200 million annually.
Currently, child benefit is paid monthly to all parents for each child under the age of 18 who is living with and being supported by them.
The Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin suggested in last year’s Budget that rates would be standardised to €140 per month per child over a two-year period – however this would have yielded an estimated saving of just €43 million.
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