A total of 1,529 families in Donegal received the Newborn Baby Grant to support the arrival of 1,551 babies born in the county during 2025.
Introduced as part of Budget 2025, the Newborn Baby Grant is a once off payment of €280 designed to help families meet the material needs of a newborn baby or a newly adopted child.
The grant is paid automatically alongside the first month of Child Benefit, meaning parents do not need to make a separate application.
Commenting on the initiative, Donegal Minister of State, Charlie McConalogue, said: “This grant of an extra €280 in the first month after the arrival of a new-born baby is a great help to households.
“This brings the total first-month payment to €420 for a single child, providing vital financial assistance during what is a joyful but often expensive time for parents.”
“The birth of a new child is a time of great joy, but it can also place financial pressure on families.
“Supports like this are essential in easing that pressure and allowing parents to enjoy what truly matters, spending time with their newest family member.
“Measures like the Newborn Baby Grant make a tremendous difference to families. It is a priority for Fianna Fáil to continually support parents through schemes like this,” the Minister of State for Sport and Postal Policy added.
The payment is part of the Government’s First 5 Strategy, a ten-year plan to improve the lives of babies and young children.
Nationally, the grant has supported approximately 49,000 families and 50,000 newborns at a total cost of roughly €14 million according to the latest figures from the Department of Social Protection.
