DUBLIN: The Government is considering a double payment of the child benefit payment as part of a cost-of-living package. The package will be announced alongside the Budget on September 27.
Parents of a child who currently receive €140 per month could receive €280 in December. If there are two children, parents receive €560 in child benefit.
If the coalition partners agree on the policy, a family with three children would receive €840, and a family with twins would also receive €840 as they receive one and a half times the normal rate per child.
Parents will be paid before Christmas under plans jointly implemented by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath and Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys.
Ireland now has a tax revenue surplus of €5 billion for the first six months of the year. Government sources indicate that this will be used for double child benefit payments and other cost-of-living measures.