Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 4

Written Answers. - Refusal of Allowances.

Tony Gregory

Question:

721 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review his decision to refuse a back-to-school clothing allowance to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 who has three school-going children, is in receipt of a deserted wife's allowance and whose maintenance payments go exclusively to pay mortgage arrears. [15114/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The back-to-school clothing and footwear scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by health boards, is designed to assist recipients of social welfare and health board payments with the cost of children's school uniforms and footwear. People on low incomes who are in receipt of family income supplements may also qualify for assistance.

To qualify for the allowance, the applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and must satisfy a means test. The means test takes account of any income over and above the appropriate rate of survivors, widows and widowers, contributory pension plus £5 where the guardian is single, and contributory old age pension plus £5 where the guardian is one of a couple. Where the income of a household exceeds these limits, the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance is not payable.

The person concerned has a total weekly income of £179.10 which is made up of £119.10 deserted wife's benefit, plus £60 maintenance payment which, under the terms of a maintenance order of 3 May 1996, is paid directly to Dublin Corporation in discharge of mortgage payments, including arrears. The income limit for this scheme for a lone parent family and three children is £124.10 but, as the person has a total income of £179.10, she does not satisfy the means test for receipt of the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance.

Tony Gregory

Question:

722 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review his decision to refuse a back-to-school clothing allowance to persons (details supplied) in Dublin 10 who are on disability benefit and who are fostering two school-going children for several years for whom they have only recently received a social welfare payment. [15115/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by health boards, is designed to assist certain recipients of social welfare and health board payments with the cost of children's school uniforms and footwear. Certain people on low incomes who are in receipt of family income supplement may also qualify for assistance.

To qualify for the allowance, the applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and must satisfy a means test. The means test takes account of any income over and above the appropriate rate of survivor's, widow's and widower's, contributory pension plus £5 where the guardian is single, and contributory old age pension plus £5 where the guardian is one of a couple. Where the income of a household exceeds these limits, the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance is not payable.

Orphan's pension is not considered to be a qualifying payment under the terms of the back-to-school clothing and footwear scheme. The orphan's pension, which is a basic social welfare payment, is payable to the guardian and is intended to cover the child's cost of living, including food and clothing. Eligible applicants will receive either a contributory or non-contributory orphan's pension of up to £42.60 per week. In comparison, the allowance paid in respect of dependent children with other social welfare or health board payments is either £13.20 or £15.20 per week. The higher rate of orphan's pension compared to the child dependant allowance rate means that the guardian receives an additional income of up to £1,400 per annum in respect of the orphaned child.