Written Answers Nos. 522-542
522. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to research that suggests changing the local employment scheme services from their current model to a target and profit driven model as currently envisioned by her Department will and has in other jurisdictions have profoundly negative effects on the unemployed and the services provided generally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34914/22]
View answerMy Department engaged with the Institute of Employment Studies and Social Finance in 2019 to research and develop best practice models for new employment services. These bodies have established track-records of helping governments develop fit-for-purpose employment services. My Department engaged with these consultants, ensuring their models were appropriately configured for the Irish market, reflecting the unique strengths of the providers of employment services here while respecting the legal requirement for competitive procurement. As part of their work the consultants engaged extensively with relevant stakeholders including those delivering the local employment service contracts.
Prior to this engagement Indecon had undertaken extensive reviews of both the Local Employment Service and Job Club services. The findings from the Indecon reviews in 2018 were factored into the design of the revised contracted public employment service model.
One of the innovations of the Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service is the minimising of the performance-based payment elements of the payment for services aimed at those farthest from the labour market. This recognises the challenges these clients face is securing employment, giving employment services the space and time to address the obstacles to employment without penalising the providers financially. This approach reflects both the input of external consultants and the Department's own extensive engagement with stakeholders.
I am confident that the Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service, once rolled out across the State in the coming months, will significantly expand high quality employment service provision across the entire State for the first time. It will engage with and support those farthest for the labour market with personalised solutions that addresses their obstacles to progressing towards employment.
523. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will commission an independent inquiry (details supplied) into the record, outcomes and overall impact of contracting out employment services to agencies such as Seetec and Turas Nua; if so, if the inquiry will include a survey of the experiences of those unemployed who have passed through the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34915/22]
View answerIn 2018 Indecon, on behalf of the Department, undertook two detailed reviews into the Local Employment Service (LES) and Job Clubs. These reviews made a series of recommendations on the design and operation of contracted public employment services. In 2019 my Department commissioned an independent review of the provision of employment advisory services, including JobPath, Local Employment Services and Job Clubs. This review conducted by the Institute of Employment Studies and Social Finance, reviewed the provision of services and made recommendations for the future restructuring and procurement of services. The consultants commissioned by the Department consulted independently with a sample of existing providers that they had selected.
All external providers of employment advisory services are subject to regular audits and inspections. In addition, and specific to the provision of JobPath services, my Department commissions regular independent Customer Satisfaction Surveys to ensure that services are being delivered satisfactorily from the viewpoint of the customer. All of the evidence indicates that the experience of the majority of customers who have engaged with the JobPath service to date has been quite positive.
The Department have published the results of a number of these independent Customer Satisfaction Survey that have been commissioned since 2016. These surveys are available on the Department’s website on Gov.ie. These surveys provide a qualitative evaluation of the standard of service provided by the JobPath contractors. The most recent published survey would be that which was carried out in Dec 2021 and the results of this are published on my Department's website.
In addition to the independently commissioned Customer Satisfaction Survey, the 2019 econometric review of JobPath undertaken by my Department in partnership with the OECD noted that the weekly employment earnings of people who secured employment with the JobPath service are 17% higher than the weekly employment earnings of people who secured employment without the support of JobPath in 2018. Taken with the 26% improvement in employment outcomes in the same period, it means the overall positive employment/earnings impact is 37% in 2018 for those supported by the JobPath service. These findings indicate that jobseekers who engage with JobPath are significantly more likely to get a positive employment outcome than those not supported by the service. The evidence to date, published by the Department indicates that employment outcomes among people on JobPath are higher than non-participants.
I would also refer the Deputy to the published C&AG Report, which provides a detailed description of the JobPath service along with analysis and commentary on the service. The Chapter on the JobPath Service is available on the C&AG website.
Question No. 524 answered with Question No. 153.
525. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the protocols that are in place to assist hearing impaired customers who are unable or inhibited by Covid restrictions and concerns from personally attending social protection offices; if staff have specialised training in the way to deal and respond to such impaired customers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34917/22]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection is committed to delivering an excellent customer service as pledged in its Customer Service Charter. My Department always aims to ensure that all customers are served in a fair, courteous, and timely manner, provided with full and clear information regarding entitlements and have their privacy respected.
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the important role that digital channels play in delivering the services of our Department, and the number of my Department's services that are available online grew substantially over the last two years through MyWelfare.ie and WelfarePartners.ie. Customers can increasingly use MyWelfare.ie to access income support payments such as Jobseekers, Working Family or Paternity/Maternity payments, quickly and easily.
In relation to hearing impaired customers, my Department provides an Irish Sign Language (ISL) Interpretation service to any customer who may request or need this service in order to interact or engage with the Department. An in person ISL interpreting service can be arranged where necessary by staff of my Department. Each of the Intreo Centres of my Department is equipped for using Irish Remote Interpreting Service (IRIS). IRIS provides a live video-link to an Irish Sign Language interpreter. In addition, a remote ISL interpretation service is available which can be used when hearing impaired customers interact by means of a virtual interview.
All ISL Interpretation is provided free of charge to customers.
526. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has made any changes to the family income supplement scheme since she took office. [34033/22]
View answerThe Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with children which supports people in low paid employment. The WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take up and stay in employment.
It is a targeted measure that is directly linked to household income and therefore directly supports low-income working families. There are approximately 46,000 families with 103,000 children who are currently in receipt of WFP. The estimated spend of WFP in 2022 is €349 million.
Budget 2020 introduced an increase in the income limits for families with one to three children.
Budget 2022 introduced an increase in the income thresholds by €10 for each family size.
The increase in the Working Family Payment income thresholds is one of a number of measures included in Budget 2022 which were specifically targeted at low-income families with children.
It was originally intended that this increase in the Working Family Payment income thresholds would take effect from June 2022. However, as part of the €505 million package of measures which the Government introduced to assist families with the rising cost of living it was decided to bring this change in from 7th April 2022.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
527. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of times that the fuel allowance has been increased or decreased in each of the past ten years. [34034/22]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.
There have been a number of changes to both the rate and duration of the fuel allowance payment over the last 10 years.
With regards to the duration of the fuel season, Budget 2012 reduced the fuel season from 32 weeks to 26 weeks. For the 2017/18 fuel season the duration was increased to 27 weeks and for the 2018/19 season the duration was increased to 28 weeks.
With regards to the weekly rate of fuel allowance payable, there has been no reduction in the rate payable in the last 10 years. From January 2016, the rate payable was increased from €20 to €22.50 per week. Further increases to the weekly rate payable occurred in January 2020 (€24.50), January 2021 (€28) and in October 2021 (€33).
A number of temporary changes were also made to the Fuel Allowance payment in response to emergency situations or severe weather conditions over the last 10 years. Due to severe weather conditions in 2013 and 2018, one additional week’s Fuel Allowance was paid in both these fuel seasons. The duration of the 2019/20 season was increased to 32 weeks as a once off measure in response to the Covid-19 Emergency and two additional lump sum payments of €125 and €100 were paid to Fuel Allowance recipients during the 2021/22 fuel season in response to the increased cost of living.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
528. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that applications for jobseeker’s benefit for education sector workers are taking longer to process currently compared to previous years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38802/22]
View answerThe process in respect of all Jobseeker's Payments including part-time workers in the educational sector is kept under review. In general, there is no delay in processing Jobseeker Benefit claims if the relevant claim application forms and supporting documentation are completed by the customer in a timely manner. Issues have arisen in the past where details of accrued holiday pay were not furnished so my Department would encourage that these details be supplied as quickly as possible.
Seasonal workers including educational workers should apply for jobseeker’s benefit as soon as they become unemployed.
Educational sector workers, who are employed on a temporary basis and who have previously been in contact with the Department, are issued with a repeat jobseeker’s application form and holiday form in advance of the school holiday periods. This advance process facilitates an efficient service to these customers and allows for speedy processing of their claim when the period of unemployment actually arises.
However, it is important to note that educational sector workers are still required to sign on for each period of unemployment and satisfy all the qualifying conditions for jobseeker’s benefit including the 3 waiting days at the start of the claim if it does not link to a previous jobseeker's claim.
I want to assure the Deputy that prompt processing of all claims remains a priority for my Department. Scheme areas are monitored on an on-going basis and processing procedures are reviewed to ensure that claims are paid to customers as quickly as possible.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
529. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that the automatic entitlement to a back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance payment for a person (details supplied) has ceased; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38812/22]
View answerThe Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.
The allowance is payable for eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child increase is in payment. It is also payable for those between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and for whom a qualified child allowance is in payment.
Each year, through a matching process, customers are identified as having an entitlement to the allowance and are awarded the allowance automatically. These customers were notified of their award by the 20 June.
Qualifying for the payment automatically one year does not guarantee a customer will qualify for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payment automatically the following year.
Customers who have not received notification of an automated payment will need to apply for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance online on www.mywelfare.ie even if they received a payment automatically last year. The online application system has been open since 20 June.
Customers who are experiencing issues applying online can contact our dedicated number on 071-9193318 or 0818-11 11 13 or by email to bscfa@welfare.ie and an officer will be able to assist the customer to apply online or will issue an application form to the customer.
The closing date to apply for this year’s Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is 30 September 2022.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
530. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that the south east regional drug and alcohol task force has not had a full-time coordinator for over two years; the action being taken to ensure that the full time position is restored; if the person that was in the full-time position is still being paid by the HSE; if so, if he will resolve the issues preventing that person from returning to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38847/22]
View answerThe South East Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force is administered by the HSE. This is therefore a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health.
531. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in providing free school meals for the 310 schools to be added to the DEIS programme in September 2022; the current annual cost to the Department of the provision of free school meals to those schools currently in the programme; the reason that funding for these additional school meals was not increased in line with the expansion of the DEIS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38848/22]
View answerThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,800 schools and organisations benefitting 290,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
A budget of €68.1 million has been provided for the scheme in 2022.
In recent years entry to the school meals programme has been confined to DEIS schools in addition to schools identified as having levels of concentrated disadvantage that would benefit from access to the programme.
Budget 2022 provided for the hot school meals to be extended from January 2022 to the remaining 81 DEIS schools that had expressed an interest in the programme but which were not yet participating. As a result, the number of children in receipt of the hot school meal in June 2022 was 54,266. The full year cost for hot school meals for 54,266 children is €28m.
In March 2022, the Minister for Education announced an extension of the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in School to an additional 273 primary and 37 post-primary schools from September 2022.
I have recently announced that the provision of the hot school meal option will be extended to all new DEIS primary schools and the cold lunch option to all new DEIS secondary schools at a full year cost of €26m and benefitting some 60,000 children.
I am committed to continuing to grow the hot school meals element of the school meals programme for DEIS schools and building further on the significant extension announced. In this regard, I have commissioned an evaluation of the school meals programme to be undertaken in 2022 to inform future policy decisions on the scheme.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the deputy.
532. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that a person (details supplied) has been waiting almost two years for the return of medical information to the deciding officer in order for a decision regarding their disablement benefit can be made and given the protected length of time for documents to be returned to the deciding office; and if she will intervene on their behalf in order to prevent further unjust and unfair delays in this situation. [38850/22]
View answerDisablement Benefit is one of the benefits payable under the Occupational Injuries scheme to an insured person who suffers a loss of physical or mental faculty as a result of an occupational accident or prescribed occupational disease, on or after 1 May 1967. In order to qualify for Disablement Benefit, the person must be in employment which is insured at PRSI Class A, B, D, J or M.
I confirm that the person concerned applied for Disablement Benefit on the 22 June 2021.
The claim was referred for a medical assessment on the 5 July 2021. We have received a medical report dated 3 June 2022 and a decision issued on 12 July 2022 to the person concerned.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
533. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that foster parents are not an eligible category for the back-to-school allowance; if she will review the current policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38924/22]
View answerThe Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.
The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is not payable in respect of foster children as the financial support available to foster parents from Tusla, the foster care allowance, includes assistance with the cost of clothing and footwear for the foster child.
Any changes to the eligibility criteria for the scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context and within the scope of the overall resources available for welfare improvements.
Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an additional needs payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme by the Community Welfare Service.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service. There is a National CWS Contact Centre in place – 0818-607080 – which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
534. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that back-to-school allowance is not available to foster parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38939/22]
View answerThe Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.
The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is not payable in respect of foster children as the financial support available to foster parents from Tusla, the foster care allowance, includes assistance with the cost of clothing and footwear for the foster child.
Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an additional needs payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme by the Community Welfare Service.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service. There is a National CWS Contact Centre in place – 0818-607080 – which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
535. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff who are abated under her Department in accordance with the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012, in tabular form. [38959/22]
View answerThere are currently a total of 7 abatements of pension for staff members in my Department, as follows –
|
Full abatement |
Partial abatement |
|
3 |
4 |
536. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection when an increase on a disability allowance payment will be applied for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38967/22]
View answerI can confirm that my Department received correspondence from the person concerned on 21 April 2022, notifying a change of circumstances regarding her disability allowance (DA).
The application was referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) on 16 May 2022 for a report on the person’s means and circumstances. The SWI report was submitted to the department on the 07 July 2022.
I can confirm that following a review, disability allowance has been increased with effect from 27 April 2022. Her first payment with an increase in DA rate will be made by her chosen payment method on 13 July 2022. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 08 July 2022.
Arrears of payment due from 27 April 2022 to 12 July 2022 will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments (if applicable).
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
537. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection the if back-to-school allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied). [38976/22]
View answerThe Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.
The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payment has been awarded automatically to the person in question. This customer will receive their payment as outlined in their award letter this week, week beginning 11 July. The additional €100 payment will issue next week, week beginning 18 July.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
538. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for disability allowance now under review will be approved as a matter of urgency in respect of a person (details supplied). [38977/22]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from this lady on 06 April 2022.
Based on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, her application for DA was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 11 May 2022.
Further medical evidence was received on 24 June 2022 and a review of this decision was carried out. The original decision was upheld and the person concerned was notified in writing on 5 July 2022. She was also advised of her right to appeal this decision to the independent social welfare appeals office (SWAO). No request for an appeal has been received to date.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
539. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if it is proposed to limit the right of an appellant to the independent social welfare appeals office to seek and obtain an oral hearing; if appeals officers have to seek permission from senior management before granting an oral hearing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39037/22]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
Chapter 2 of Part 10 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 and the Social Welfare (Appeals) Regulations 1998 sets down the roles, powers, and functions of the Social Welfare Appeals Office, Appeals Officers and the Chief Appeals Officer. Under Articles 13 and 14 of the Social Welfare (Appeals) Regulations 1998 it is at the discretion of the Appeals Officer whether a summary decision is made or an oral hearing is held in any case.
The Office is committed to enhancing its operations to continue to deliver an efficient and effective appeals service to its customers. To support this goal, a programme of process redesign and modernisation is in progress. This programme includes the development and implementation of an enhanced appeals business process and the development of a new computer system. Consequently, it is now an appropriate juncture at which to review and amend the Regulations underpinning the appeals process which have been in place since 1998. The changes will provide an enhanced appeals service to customers as well as supporting improved administrative arrangements.
Insofar as oral hearings are concerned, the revised Regulations maintain the principle that it is at the discretion of the Appeals Officer as to whether a summary decision is made or an oral hearing is required. The revised Regulations also introduce a requirement on Appeals Officers to consult with a Deputy Chief Appeals Officer on the need for an oral hearing.
Oral hearings have been successfully conducted online or by telephone since October 2020 and these types of hearings will continue. This remote hearing approach has proven to be an effective way of facilitating an oral hearing previously achieved via the holding of an in-person hearing.
540. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if the chief appeals officer of the social welfare appeals office has also been given responsibility for the decisions advisory body of the Department itself; the reason for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39038/22]
View answerThe role of the Department's Decisions Advisory Office (DAO) is to support line sections in seeking to ensure that decisions made on social welfare claims are consistent and of good quality. The DAO provides advice to scheme areas in complex cases and detailed guidelines on decision-making and relevant legislative provisions across the organisation.
At the end of 2020 the Department moved the Decisions Advisory Office to report to the Chief Appeals Officer to further strengthen the learnings from Appeals Officers decisions into the Department’s decision-making process. This change was recognised in the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the Management of Social Welfare Appeals published in September 2021.
The new reporting structure strengthens the process by which both the Department and the Appeals Office provide feedback to one another in order to continuously improve the decision making, review and appeal processes. In this regard the DAO will continue to liaise with the Appeals Office through regular meetings to ensure all learnings are fed back into the Department’s decision process and guidelines.
541. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if she intends on removing the cap on total credited contributions for home caring periods and the age cap on foster children for eligibility for caring contributions by foster parents given the major and necessary contribution they make to society and to vulnerable persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39043/22]
View answerMatters related to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla.
More widely, this Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system includes a range of measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods (of up to 20 years) outside of paid employment in the calculation of a State Pension payment.
The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment to examine options for a pension solution for carers, the majority of whom are women, particularly those of incapacitated children, in recognition of the enormous value of the work carried out by them. The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund. The Commission’s terms of reference included consideration of how people who have provided long-term care for incapacitated dependants can be accommodated within the State Pension system.
The Pensions Commission’s Report was published on 7th October 2021. It established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and that changes are needed. The report set out a wide range of recommendations, including enhanced pension provision for long-term carers (defined as caring for more than 20 years). It recommended that long-term carers should be given access to the State Pension (Contributory) by having retrospective contributions paid for them by the Exchequer for any gaps in their contribution history arising from that caring. The Commission also recommended that relevant Departments should examine, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, options for the creation of a statutory "Family Carer Register" which could, in time, facilitate the identification of long-term carers for State Pension (Contributory) purposes as well as assisting in the planning and delivery of services for family carers.
In the interests both of older people and future generations of older people, the comprehensive and far-reaching recommendations in the Pensions Commission’s Report need to be considered very carefully and holistically. My officials are examining each of the recommendations and consulting across Government through the Cabinet Committee system. The views of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands and the Commission on Taxation and Welfare will be considered as part of these deliberations. Once we have considered all of these matters in detail and taken on board the views of my Ministerial colleagues, I intend bringing a recommended response and implementation plan to Government.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
542. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if foster care children will be included in the back-to-school allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39144/22]
View answerThe Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.
The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is not payable in respect of foster children as the financial support available to foster parents from Tusla, the foster care allowance, includes assistance with the cost of clothing and footwear for the foster child.
Any changes to the eligibility criteria for the scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context and within the scope of the overall resources available for welfare improvements.
Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an additional needs payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme by the Community Welfare Service.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service. There is a National CWS Contact Centre in place – 0818-607080 – which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
