A ONCE-OFF CHILD benefit payment of €560 to parents in the first month their child is born is a “good idea”, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has said

Speaking at the second day of the Fine Gael think-in in Tullamore today, Humphreys expressed support for a one-off quadruple payment of child benefit, stating that she has previously discussed the idea with her department officials.

It is understood government believes the payment could help towards the costs of buggies, car seats and other one-off payments parents must make when they have a newborn. 

Humphreys also said she wanted to expand the qualification for the fuel allowance so that those over the age of 66 could avail of it. 

Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman expressed support for a one-off child benefit payment for parents in the first month their child is born. Child benefit is normally at €140 euro per child.

Asked if she supported the proposal, Humphreys said:

“I actually think it’s a good idea. But again, these things all have to be considered in the context of the Budget and there’s going to be a lot of kites that would be flown between now and the Budget.

“So I suppose what I plan to do is I’ll try and catch as many as I can, put them in my pocket, and on Budget day, we’ll pull them back out again – and we’ll see what comes out.”

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said he would not discuss what particular budget proposals might feature in the budget, which will be announced on 1 October.

“There’ll be lots of different options floated in the run-up to the Budget,” he said. 

Asked about what budget options she is considering, Humphreys told reporters that the double child benefit payment in December last year was “very popular” in the run-up to Christmas.

“I know myself from doing the shopping, it’s quite expensive by the time you get to the table, and people are feeling it in their pocket.

“So what we want to do is, (we) want to put more money back in people’s pockets, and we want to help them and I will be looking at all of those measures as we put together a Budget.”

Humphreys also said she was looking at reducing the age of qualification for the fuel allowance.

She said last year’s expansion of allowance to the over-70s last year was a “very welcome measure”.

“This year, I am looking at maybe reducing that age to those over 66 when you retire,” she added.