Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 3

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

327 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the date he received the 1998 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme; when the working group was set up by way of follow up to the report; the members of the group; the number of meetings of the group to date; and when he will have its recommendations. [22369/99]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General to which the Deputy refers was received in this Department on 24 June 1998. In addition to the back to school clothing and footwear scheme, the report examined the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, including rent and mortgage interest supplements.

The bulk of the follow up work carried since the publication of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report has concerned the future administration of rent and mortgage interest supplements. Last August, the Government announced that it had agreed in principle that a new scheme of rent assistance will be introduced which will be operated by the local authorities.

With regard to the back to school clothing and footwear scheme, a working group was established in September 1999 to review the scheme as part of this Department's series of programme evaluations. The working group has met three times and has consulted with a wide range of interested parties. Submissions have been received from officials who operate the scheme, from health boards and from eleven other organisations.

The working group is made up of representatives of Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, Eastern Health Board, Department of Finance, Department of Education and Science and Department of Health and Children.

It is expected that the review will be completed by April 2000.

Nora Owen

Ceist:

328 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will examine the anomaly whereby a person on unemployment assistance qualifies for an extra allowance for dependent children over 18 years in full-time education whereas a person on unemployment benefit with children in the same category does not qualify; if this anomaly will be changed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22371/99]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

Child dependant allowances are payable in respect of all children up to the age of 18 years. Where a claimant is in receipt of a long-term social welfare payment, child dependant allowances are payable where children are in full-time education up to the age of 22 years, or up to the end of the academic year after the 22nd birthday. This applies to long-term payments, such as pensions, only; it does not apply to short-term payments such as disability benefit, unemployment benefit, short-term unemployment assistance and supplementary welfare allowance.

The more favourable treatment of people on long-term payments is in recognition of the fact that families with children on long-term payments face a higher risk of poverty.

The question of extending entitlement to child dependant allowances to short-term welfare claimants on the same basis as applies to long-term welfare claimants is a matter for consideration in a budgetary context, having regard to the resources available and to other competing priorities.