Tipperary councillors lobby for Children's Allowance to be paid for 18-year-olds still in school

Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District’s councillors have sent a letter to the Minister for Social Protection calling for the payment of the Children’s Allowance to be extended to 18-year-olds still in second level education.

The district’s councillors unanimously agreed to send the letter to Minister Heather Humphries at their latest monthly meeting at the proposal of Fianna Fáil Cllr Imelda Goldsboro from Ballingarry.

She argued at the meetinghtat most children were now starting primary school at five years of age. This meant they were 18-years-old by the time they reached Leaving Cert year but their parents no longer qualify to receive the Children's Allowance for them.

Cllr Goldsboro pointed out that a lot of parents don’t qualify to receive the Back to School Benefit.

Exending the qualifying age for the Children’s Allowance would benefit thousands of families around the country, she added.