Extend Child Benefit to all Leaving Cert students – O’Neill

Fine Gael Senator for Carlow/Kilkenny, Pat O’Neill, has called for an extension of the Child Benefit payment beyond the traditional age limit of 18 years, to all include all Leaving Cert students, saying the current age limit is unfair and divisive.

“Currently the Child Benefit payment officially stops at age 16 and continues up to age 18 for any child in full time schooling. On the basis of this education principle, there is no reason why the extension shouldn’t also apply to school students who have entered their 19^th year.

“The old 18 year age limit might have worked in the past when children tended to start school aged four. Many children now start primary school at five years of age and also complete transition year in secondary school. This means that plenty of students are doing their Leaving Cert aged 19 and I think it is unfair and divisive for one student’s Child Benefit to be stopped, when their classmate sitting beside them is still getting it because they happened to have been born a few months later.

“The 18 year cut off point is extremely detrimental to families who are struggling financially, particularly one parent families.

“The fact is that the Leaving Cert year is one of the toughest financial years for any family. In many schools there is a different uniform to be bought for 6^th year students. The text books for the Leaving Cert are incredibly expensive. Parents have to pay for mock exams, the Leaving Cert exam itself and the application to the CAO. Many students also feel under pressure to do grinds during 6^th year to supplement their studies, and these extra classes add further burden to what is already an incredibly expensive year.

“The number of 19 year old school students is fairly small in the grand scheme of things. Accordingly, the benefits to the families of extending this payment will far outweigh the cost to the State.

“I call on the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, to extend the Child Benefit to ensure that the cut-off point is age 18 and/or up to completion of the Leaving Cert. It is the only way to ensure complete equity for all school students no matter what time of the year they were born.”