The Government’s expenditure on child benefit remained among the highest in Europe, Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton told the Dáil.
She said an estimated €1.9 billion would be paid to about 609,000 families in respect of some 1.16 million children this year.
Ms Burton added she had strongly defended the universality of child benefit because the State must value every child and support families.
“Also, the fact that every family, regardless of their employment status, receives child benefit ensures that in the current system there is not a disincentive to work.”
Ms Burton said the budget had provided for child benefit rates to be standardised at €130 for all children from January 2014.
It should be noted, she added, that despite recent reductions the current rate compared favourably with rates in, for example, 2002, when the lowest rate was €117.60; or 2005, when the lowest rate was €141.60.
Sinn Féin spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh called on the Minister to give a commitment that child benefit would not be further reduced in the next budget.
“Does the Minister not understand the increasing distress being caused to families, particularly working-class families, across this State owing to the depth of the current crisis?” he added.
“Child poverty is increasing and the cuts in child benefit, rather than being ring-fenced to help children, are part of an overall budgetary cut which is compounding the distress of many families in this State.”
