Budget 2027 has not given any increase to Child Benefit, marking the 11th straight year the payment has remained stagnant.
The monthly payment remains at €140 per child aged 18 and under, the same as it has been since the last rise in 2016, despite years of heavy, compounding inflation since then.
If it was inflation adjusted it would be over €180 per month now.
On the other hand, the Government announced another increase to the subsidy for daycare.
This nudges parents in the direction of using institutional childcare, whether they want it or not, whereas Child Benefit gives them full discretion over how to spend the economic assistance for raising their children.
The policy preference for institutional daycare over letting parents decide for themselves comes despite the electorate’s massive rejection of the Mother in the Home referendum in 2024.
It also comes despite polls consistently showing that parents would prefer to look after their children at home.
Around €2 billion per annum is spent on Child Benefit currently and about €1.5 billion is spent on daycare with this figure due to increase further next year.
