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PARENTS OF BABIES born since December 2024 will receive a new ‘baby boost’ payment today, Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary has announced.
The Newborn Baby Grant, a payment of €280 on top of the regular €140 Child Benefit for the first month, will be paid to over 4,400 families.
The new grant is paid automatically with the first month of Child Benefit payment, so parents of new babies do not need to apply for it.
In a full year, it is expected that these grants will be paid to parents of 54,000 children, at a total cost of €15 million.
The Newborn Baby Grant applies to all children born on or after 1 December last year and who qualify for Child Benefit from birth.
From March, eligible parents will receive the Newborn Baby Grant in addition to the first month’s Child Benefit payment.
Minister Calleary said he was “delighted” to be rolling out the new payments.
“These payments will help parents by putting extra money in their pockets at a joyful but costly time for families,” he said.
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Another payment that discriminates against people who don’t have children.
We’re being constantly told that the world is over populated yet continually reward those that have more children?
@Jim: The world is overpopulated. Ireland is not overpopulated and we are heading towards a pension crisis and need people to have kids in order for our population not to decline.
@Jim: what a thing to b! tch about! We are a socialist republic, society contributes to everyone’s well being.
@Jim: this stupid argument again. Stop looking for benefits for something you don’t have. Does invalidity benefit discriminate against people who are in the full of their health/able bodied? Should people who don’t care for someone get a carers allowance? Different people have different circumstances. You complain about people being ‘continually rewarded’ but in the same breath moaning that you can’t get money for nothing. 280 quid would last about a fortnight with a newborn and that would be doing well.
@Jim: As much as extra money dropped into our account would be nice, weirdly enough I find my partner and I save on not having baby-related expenses. Go figure.
@Jim: Jim’s not getting any.
@Jim: Ireland is under populated though
@Shay Mo: People really need to be aware of that more.
We will not be able to afford pensions, sadly it would appear to be happening right at the point when I’m due to retire…….
@Jim: actually Jim, as a parent of three, I agree with you. If anyone thinks this €280 will encourage any constructive member of society to have a child, they are mad.
@Darius Guppy: Jim seems to think it will encourage people though so are you really on the same page? He calls it a reward, it’s not enough of a ‘reward’ to be an incentive to anyone reasonable. It’s a small alleviation of a huge increase of expenses that comes with having a child.
@Jim: It costs less than 10 days of a single person coming from abroad living in full board accommodation coming from our pockets
@Shay Mo: why do we have no houses for people if we aren’t overpopulated.
@Shane O Mac: so how come we have people with no homes living on the street. If we aren’t overpopulated then why doesn’t everyone have a roof over their heads
@Megan Ward: well maybe people should stop having children until they can afford to look after them on their own dime
@David Fox: You work in the Department of Social Protection!!!? WOW
@Shay Mo: especially irish people are not having babies anymore. Is sad.
@David Fox: Where did I say otherwise, David?
@Tricia G28: Bizarre isn’t it, people working for the state in any capacity are usually a bit more discerning with what they publicly comment on the internet using the same photo everywhere. Watch as he calls you a stalker or the like, not realising that Google Lens is quite literally one click away.
@David Fox: You can’t be serious,really knowledge is no burden,please educate yourself.
@David Fox: I’m gone past having children,I wasn’t entitled to anything when my son was born and that was wrong,I happily pay a little bit extra tax to give new parents a tiny helping hand.
I’m actually ashamed to say this. But I had to apply for job seekers for the first time as I was let go due to cuts. Anyway because I filled the form.out wrong I was denied. When I went back in about it I was told I had to appeal the decision. The appeal takes 18 weeks as per letter I got back. Nearly 40yrs of working & can’t get anything anywhere. Not even from a community officer. But people having new babies can get an extra 400 yoyos? What am I missing.
@John Barry: You have nothing to be ashamed about. The shame is the 18 weeks for the appeal. Equally, the new baby payment is a lovely gesture from the state.
@John Barry: You realise it’s not the people having a child that are to blame for the predicament you’re in but the intractable bureaucracy that forced you into a crap position.
You’re angry at the wrong people.
@John Barry: Don’t feel ashamed John, it’s the Dept. Of Social Protection that should feel the shame. I hope it gets sorted quicker for you, keep your chin up.
@John Barry: I think the thing you’re missing is a job. Any DIPSHlT can get employed nowadays. There’s a shortage of workers in pretty much every single industry.
@John Murphy: cool story..
Reducing child care costs would be far more beneficial for parents. This is a daft payment.
@ecrowley ecrowley: exactly, this is the government buying votes
@ecrowley ecrowley: reduce child care costs? Are you serious? How then are they going to stop people from having children due to the cost of it all?
Mickey money
Straight into a fund.
Absolutely laughable!!!!
This is only a good thing if you’ve paid into the system for 5 years first.
And capped after 4 children.
Lord Newbord. You have been knighted.
Do Arthur and Brian get that?
Absolutely ridiculous payment. An overpopulated country with a lack of Homes for families. Government solutions. Pay them to make more humans. Brilliant.
@David Fox: You’re a former Pensions Administrator, how do you propose we, as a society, solve our looming pension crisis?
Trump Coin?
A nice few euros for new parents,mind you 280 euro won’t go far but nice to see the state sees the need for what is a very worthwhile payment
Wait for the anty welfare brigade to come on now ..
@Glen Kelly: No,wait for the welfare brigade to come in whinging it’s not enough.
And yet some areas have no developmental checks on new babies. Madness !
Brilliant to here,no problem with my tax going towards this.
have your say