Helen Keogh
Ceist:11 Ms. Keogh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the latest date for which he can guarantee payment of money due under the back to school allowance scheme. [8266/95]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Back to School Scheme.
The back to school clothing and footwear scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the 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 supplement may also qualify for assistance. The scheme operates from 1 June to 30 September every year and application can be made for assistance any time during this four month period.
For the 1995 scheme, I have increased the rates of allowance from £35 to £40 for a child attending primary school and from £50 to £55 for a post-primary pupil. It is expected that some 285,000 pupils will benefit under the scheme this year at a cost of approximately £12.9 million.
The health boards have advised my Department that the scheme operated satisfactorily in all boards last year with families throughout the country receiving their payments in good time to make provision for their children's needs.
My Department's circular on the operation of the 1995 scheme, which issued to all boards on 25 April 1995, requests all boards to ensure that the majority of payments are made by 31 July 1995. This is to enable parents to make the necessary purchases in the traditional back to school shopping month of August.
The present arrangements are satisfactory and I urge parents to assist the boards by making applications as early as possible in order that payments can be processed speedily.