Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2017
175. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Defence Forces personnel who received family income supplement in each of the years 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017. [23903/17]
View answerThe Family Income Supplement (FIS) is an in-work support, which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. FIS is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependants and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment. There are nearly 57,000 families with almost 127,000 children in receipt of FIS. The estimated spend on FIS this year is approximately €422 million.
To qualify for FIS, a person must be engaged in full-time insurable employment, which is expected to last for at least 3 months and be working for a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight or 19 hours per week. A couple may combine their hours of employment to meet the qualification criteria. The applicant must also have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them or is supported by them. Furthermore, the average family income must be below a specified amount, which varies according to the number of qualified children in the family.
According to FIS data as of week ending Fri 6 May 2017 there are currently 194 customers in receipt of FIS recorded under the occupational code covering members of the defence forces.
The figures for families in receipt of FIS for previous years as requested by the Deputy are as follows:
- 2013 - 240
- 2014 - 241
- 2015 - 243
- 2016 - 216
For the purposes of consistency it is important to note that the figures above are based on the amount of families in receipt of FIS at week 52 of the relevant year. As such the figures may go up or down depending on the week in the year.
