Budget announces increase in child benefit and return of Christmas bonus
Brendan Howlin has told the Dáil that child benefit will increase by €5 from January 1, 2015.
There will be no cuts to the social protection budget in 2015, for the first time since 2009.
He also said that the payment will rise again in 2016 by a further €5 "provided circumstances allow".
Minister Brendan Howlin also announced a new back-to-work family dividend which means an extra €29.80 per week per child for the first year a parent returns to work, that payment will be lowered by 50% for the second year of employment.
The Minister for Expenditure says a 25% Christmas Bonus for social welfare recipients will return again in 2015.
He stipulated that that this depends on welfare continuing to spend less than expected.
