Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

742. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is possible to facilitate families without Internet access to apply for back to school grants on hard copy applications. [15292/20]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

749. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if concerns will be addressed relating to equity of access to the back to school allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15405/20]

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

768. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will facilitate a paper application form for the back to school allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15573/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 742, 749 and 768 together.

The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) 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.

Similar to previous years, the majority of customers are awarded BSCFA automatically and notification of these awards have issued to these customers.

Form 6 July, if customers have not received an award letter from BSCFA, the customer will need to apply for the allowance online on www.mywelfare.ie. If customers are experiencing issues applying online, they can contact the BSCFA section on 071 9193318 or 0818 11 11 13, where an officer can assist the customer to apply online or will issue an application form for the customer to complete.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.