(1) Subject to this Act, a qualified person shall be paid a monthly benefit of €140 in respect of each qualified child.

(1A) [deleted]

(1B) Payment of child benefit in respect of a child referred to in subsection (1A) shall be made to a person qualified for child benefit at half the appropriate amount set out in column (1) or column (2) of Part 4 of Schedule 4, or at half the appropriate amount as determined in accordance with subsection (2)(a) or (2)(b).

(1C) The payment referred to in subsection (1B) shall cease to be payable on 31 December 2009.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in this Part, the monthly benefit payable to a qualified person in respect of a qualified child whose birth was part of -

(a) a multiple birth of 2 children, of whom 2 remain qualified, shall be 150 per cent of the amount specified in subsection (1), or

(b) a multiple birth of 3 or more children, of whom -

(i) not less than 3 remain qualified, shall be 200 per cent of the amount specified in subsection (1),