<p>
	Child benefit is to be increased by &euro;5 per month per child from next year to &euro;140.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin said the reduction in the unemployment level allowed him to make this change.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Mr Howlin also announced that children would be eligible for free childcare for two-and-a-half years, between the ages of three and five-and-a-half.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	This extension to the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme would bring children up to primary school age, he said.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Funding of &euro;15m would also be introduced which would facilitate the participation of children with disabilities in the scheme, he said.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Meanwhile, the Government is to legislate for statutory paternity leave of two weeks, which would take effect from September 2016.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	This evening, Minister for Children James Reilly announced that the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, is to get an extra &euro;38m next year.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	However, a spokesperson for Barnardos warned it would not be enough to allow the agency to fulfil its statutory obligations.</p>
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	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The charity warned that continued underfunding puts children further at risk.</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.rte.ie/news/budget/2015/1013/734535-child-benefit-rise/">http://www.rte.ie/news/budget/2015/1013/734535-child-benefit-rise/</a></p>
