2100. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the payment rate respectively for maternity benefit, paternity benefit, parent’s benefit and adoptive benefit from the current rate to €350; the projected cost for every additional €10 increase in the basic rate for each of those benefit payments would be, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59020/26]

The estimated cost of increasing Maternity Benefit to €350 per week is €49.74 million.

The estimated cost of increasing Paternity Benefit to €350 per week is €2.71 million.

The estimated cost of increasing Parent's Benefit to €350 per week is €19.21 million.

The estimated cost of increasing Adoptive Benefit to €350 per week is €0.03 million.

The projected cost for every additional €10 increase in the basic rate for each of the above schemes is set out in the table below:

It should be noted these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the number of recipients for 2026 and beyond.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.