Double child benefit payments will be paid to over 600k Irish families today

Over 600,000 families in Ireland will receive double Child Benefit payments today (December 5). 

The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, confirmed 650,000 families will receive the payments to help with the cost of living crisis. 

It means €280 per child will be paid towards 1.2 million children under the age of 16 across Ireland.

Minister Humphreys said, "I am very conscious of the pressure families are under particularly in the run up to Christmas. Child Benefit is one of the few tools within the Department of Social Protection that I can use to support working families.

"I know from my days working in the Credit Union how much families depend on the monthly Child Benefit payment and I am delighted to announce details of this double payment today which will support hundreds of thousands of hardworking families across the country." 

Over 172,000 families in Dublin will receive the double payment (309,397 children), as well as 9,001 Carlow families (16,648 children), 22,466 Donegal families (43,966 children), 35,183 families in Kildare (64,933 children), 11,697 families in Kilkenny (22,574 children), and many more (full list below). 

The minister also announced details of the Christmas Bonus - which will be paid to approximately 1.3 million people this week including pensioners, carers and people with disabilities - at a cost of over €320 million. 

People will receive their Christmas Bonus on the same day that they usually receive their weekly primary payment. 

Announcing the Christmas Bonus details, Minister Humphreys said, "Christmas is a very special time of the year, but it can be an expensive period for individuals and families. 

"I am pleased to announce the details of the Christmas Bonus Payments today. Over 1.3 million people will benefit including our pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, and lone parents. 

"The Christmas Bonus is a vital support, particularly for our senior citizens. People will receive their Bonus payment on the same day that they usually receive their weekly pension or other primary payment. 

"As always, I would encourage people, where possible, to shop locally in the run-up to Christmas this year." 

The full Double Child Benefit breakdown is as follows: