€74m saved on child benefit after non-Irish families leave country

Around 8,000 children from other countries had their child benefit payments cut off last year - mostly because they were no longer living in the country.

They were sent letters to their homes to check that they were still living there.

Their parents were warned that if they did not respond, the monthly €130 child benefit payments being made to their bank accounts would be halted.

The Department of Social Protection has confirmed ...