306. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if babies born in December 2024 will also benefit from the €420 baby boost payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39983/24]

309. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if concerns around disparity of treatment with respect to a child benefit measure announced in Budget 2025 (details supplied) will be addressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40019/24]

315. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection if parents of babies born in December 2024 will be eligible to receive the December double child benefit payment and the newborn additional one-off payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40051/24]

318. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the pay related announcements, announced as part of Budget 2025, that will be applicable to parents whose child will be born in late December 2024, as the child benefits grants and double payments announced will issue early December and early January; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40089/24]

319. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider including persons born in December 2024 in the cohorts that will be in receipt of additional supports as announced in Budget 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40095/24]

320. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in respect of babies born in December 2024, parents will receive the newly announced €420 'baby boost' payment, given that child benefit is payable the month after a baby is born; the supports those parents will receive in January 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40105/24]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 306, 309 and 315 and Questions Nos. 318 to 320, inclusive, together.

I am delighted, as part of Budget 2025, to have introduced a new baby grant of €280. This will be paid to families of babies born on or after 1 December 2024 in addition to their regular first month’s Child Benefit payment of €140. As a result, families will receive a payment of €420 in respect of the first month after their child’s birth.

In order to issue this new payment some changes to my Department’s systems are required. As a result, the first new baby payment will issue in the new year in respect of those babies born in December.

This new payment will assist parents with the costs associated with new babies. It will provide additional financial support to a family to ensure adequate resources and that the material needs of a newborn are met. It is estimated that in 2025, the grant will be paid in respect of some 54,000 children, at a cost of approximately €15 million.

As part of Budget 2025, I also provided for two double payments of Child Benefit to be paid before Christmas – one in November and another in December. Each of these payments will be paid to approximately 678,000 recipients in respect of approximately 1,227,000 children, at an estimated cost of €371.4 million.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputies.