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Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Payments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 June 2018

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

Ceisteanna (52)

Willie O'Dea

Ceist:

52. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to increase the back to school clothing and footwear allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26407/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The 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 Government has provided €49.5 million for the scheme in 2018. The payment rates are €125 for eligible children aged 4 to 11 years and €250 for children aged over 12 years and attending secondary school. Each year Barnardos completes a School Costs Survey and the results from 2017 indicated that on average parents paid approximately €140 to €150 for a primary school pupil’s uniform and shoes and approximately €260 for secondary school pupil’s uniform and shoes. The survey findings show that the current rates of payment meet most of the cost of clothing and footwear for school children, 89% of cost for senior infants and 96% for 1st year pupils.

The household income limits for the scheme are being increased for 2018 to ensure that the increases in social welfare payment rates introduced by Budget 2018 do not negatively impact on people’s entitlement to the allowance.

In addition, in April 2017, my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills, published a circular on the measures to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs, as part of a range of measures to take greater account of the needs of parents and students in the school system.

Any changes to the rates would have to be considered in a budgetary context and within the scope of the overall resources available for welfare improvements.

I trust this clarifies the position.

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