No cut in special children's allowance to public servants

A special children’s allowance paid to 1,200 members of the public service has been protected from cuts despite reductions in child benefit payments for the wider public.

The allowance, which is worth €113, is paid annually until an eligible child turns 21.

Only public service workers who were employed in certain grades prior to 1979 are entitled to the allowance.

It was made payable to any officer in respect of existing or future children, but was closed off to future employees.

Unlike the monthly child benefit, which is being cut by €10 from this month onwards, the allowance has never been reduced. In fact, the payment has increased by about a third as part of general increases in allowances and increments.

Outside of review

This children’s allowance payment for public service workers did not form part of a Government review of some 800 allowances paid to public service staff that cost about €1.5 billion.

Internal documents prepared by the Department of Public Expenditure estimate there are 1,237 recipients of the allowance, which costs the State about €140,000 annually.

Many recipients are employed in the Defence Forces, Government departments and other public service bodies.

The special children’s allowance was first introduced in 1925 for married men in the public service.

Following the introduction of equal pay, it was extended to all existing male and female members of the public service who were employed up until the end of 1978.

The decision to close off the allowance applied to new staff in 1979.