130. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the qualifying criteria for child benefit payments to be made for children who are ordinarily resident outside the State and to clarify when the benefits will cease in respect of children resident outside the State if the required PRSI contributions cease; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40442/24]

Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. Child Benefit is paid at €140 per month. Twins are paid at one and a half times the standard monthly rate for each child, that is, €210 per month for each twin. All other multiple births are paid at double the standard monthly rate for each child, that is €280 per child.

To receive Child Benefit in Ireland, parents must be habitually resident in the State. The habitual residence condition is designed to provide on-going entitlement to non-contributory benefits including Child Benefit to those who have established their connection to Ireland, while that connection remains.

In order to be a qualified child for the purpose of Child Benefit, the child must, amongst other things, be ordinarily resident in this state. This requirement is deemed to be satisfied in cases of:

• members of the Irish Defence Forces or the Irish Civil Service serving abroad,

• volunteer development workers, and

• persons temporarily employed abroad by an Irish employer and paying Irish social insurance contributions.

Furthermore, under EU law, Child Benefit is classified as a Family Benefit. Regulation (EC) 883 of 2004 provides that the country of employment pays family benefits even though the family may reside in another EU Member State, or another State within the European Economic Area. As such, Child Benefit can be payable even if the child or children are resident in another European Economic Area State. The amount of Child Benefit payable by my Department will depend on whether there is entitlement to family benefits from another European Economic Area State in respect of the same child or children. The claim should be made in the country of work which contacts the other country to ensure that the full entitlement is received. These rules apply to employed or self-employed EEA Nationals who have become subject to Irish PRSI since coming to Ireland, and their entitlement continues if they become unemployed and receive Irish jobseeker’s benefits.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.