asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will consider continuing the payment of unemployment assistance and benefit in respect of all children who attend educational institutions.

Increases for qualified children under the unemployment benefit and assistance schemes are paid up to 18 years of age, I have no proposals under consideration at this time for an extension of this age limit.

Would the Minister accept that considerable hardship can be imposed by the withdrawal of these allowances where children over the age of 18 are still attending school? The amount involved is £27 per month.

This is not a desirable situation and there are a great number of improvements we would like to make. We are having a look at quite a number of schemes and hoping that the general lot of those concerned will be improved and that their disposable income will be considerably improved when our proposals are implemented.

Is it necessary to introduce legislation to change the scheme so that payments can be made?

I am not clear whether a legislative change would be necessary but I will investigate the matter and inform the Deputy.

This is a serious question which should be handled promptly. Would the Minister accept that it might be necessary for supplementary welfare payments to be made in these instances? Would she order the health boards to ensure that families would not be at a loss as a result of this regulation?

The best way to approach the matter of children attending educational institutions is through educational grants and this Government have significantly increased the level of the grant and eligibility limits. In the past many seemingly well-intentioned proposals merely complicated the schemes and the best procedure would be to continue on the lines already adopted by the Government in significantly improving grants and making them directly available to students. The value of such a grant would amount to significantly more than the amount involved in the type of payment of which the Deputy speaks.

My question does not relate to the child who is living away from home and who may be in receipt of a university grant. I am referring to children receiving second-level education who are living at home with their families. Parents who are in receipt of social welfare payments cannot afford to do without £27 per month.

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