Double child benefit for 5,782 Longford families

This week's double child benefit payment will help 5,782 Longford families. The double child benefit payment is the second of eight lump sum payments, and is part of a €1.2 billion package, designed to support people over the winter months.

Fine Gael Senator Micheál Carrigy said the payment of €280 will be received in families’ bank accounts from today to support them with the rising cost of living: “Fine Gael is determined to put money back in people’s pockets and assist them with the rising cost of living.”

Senator Carrigy said the measure is the latest government support: “My colleague Minister Heather Humphreys recently delivered the largest social protection Budget in the history of the State, with a mix of lump sum support and increases to weekly payments.”

The lower house representative spoke of the importance of family support: “Child Benefit is an extremely important income support for thousands of hard working families in Longford which is designed to help them at a time when they are really feeling the strain of rising household and energy costs.”

“Inflation has put a heavy burden on many households and businesses in Longford, and that’s why the Government responded in Budget 2023 with an €11 billion package. Government also announced permanent changes for next year that will help households, including reductions in childcare fees, income tax changes, and increases in social protection payments,” he said.

Senator Carrigy spoke of the government's commitment to address the cost of living crisis: “These measures are all about putting money back into your pocket and ensuring that our economy stays strong, so that we have the resources to continue helping you with the cost of living, with continued investment in vital public services and public infrastructure like housing.”

Announcing the double child benefit payment, Minister Humphreys said: “The double child benefit payment will be received in people’s bank accounts beginning from today. “It follows the Autumn Double Payment last month, which supported 1.4 million pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and working families.

“And over the course of the next few weeks, I will be announcing the details of further lump sum payments to support people with their household bills,” she said.

Minister Humphreys spoke of other supports: “These will include the €400 lump sum fuel allowance payment, the €200 payment for people living alone, the €500 payment for carers, the €500 support for people with disabilities and the €500 payment for those in receipt of the Working Family Payment. These will be followed by the payment of the Christmas Bonus in December.”