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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 2002

Vol. 554 No. 5

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Anomalies.

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

1722 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will review the anomalies listed by the INOU in the social welfare system (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16869/02]

The INOU, in a recent press release, refers to four items, two of which are the responsibility of my Department. These are the back to school clothing and footwear allowance and the back to education allowance.

The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by health board community welfare officers.

The scheme is designed to assist certain recipients of social welfare and health board payments and participants in approved employment schemes and recognised education and training courses with the cost of children's school clothing and footwear. To qualify for payment, a person's household income must be at or below certain prescribed limits. Details of these limits for this year's scheme are shown in the following tabular statement.

The rate of the allowances applicable to this year's scheme are €80 in respect of qualified children aged two to 11 years and €120 in respect of qualified children aged 12 to 22 years.

The scheme is currently being reviewed as part of my Department's series of programme evaluation studies. The review, which is ongoing, is examining all aspects of the scheme.

The work carried out in the review showed that the cost of back to school clothing and footwear for children aged 12 or more is considerably greater than the cost for a primary level child and that the differential in the two BSCFA payment rates was inadequate.

On this basis a decision was taken in last year's Budget to increase the rate of payment in respect of children aged between 12 and 22 years by 21% to it's current level of €120. I expect to have the review group's final report by the end of the year. The matter raised by the INOU can be further considered in that context.

The back to education allowance is payable to successful applicants for the duration of the qualification being pursued, including the summer period between academic years. To qualify for payment of the allowance for the summer period a participant must be progressing to the next year of the qualification being pursued. Payment of the allowance ceases when a participant completes the academic qualification initially applied for.

Income limits for 2002 Back to School Clothing and Footwear Scheme

Household size

Income Limit

Couple with 1 child

€314.70 per week

Couple with 2 children

€334.00 per week

Couple with 3 children

€353.30 per week

Couple with 4 children

€372.60 per week

Limit increased by €19.30 per week for each additional child.

Lone parent with 1 child

€216.40 per week

Lone parent with 2 children

€238.00 per week

Lone parent with 3 children

€259.60 per week

Lone parent with 4 children

€281.20 per week

Limit increased by €21.60 per week for each additional child.
Participants on approved employment schemes may retain entitlement to the allowance provided their household income level is below €317.43 per week or under the income levels for the BSCF scheme itself which ever is the more favourable.
Question No. 1723 answered with Question No. 1668.
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