337. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of the anomaly that babies born in late November/December will be too late to qualify for double child benefit payment and too early to qualify for the baby boost payment; if this will be resolved in order babies born in late November/ December can avail of both double child benefit and baby boost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40173/24]

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, those 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. Parents of those babies born at any time in November will be eligible for Child Benefit from December and therefore, eligible for the double Child Benefit payable in December. Each of these double 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.