Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. 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 scheme operates from June to September each year. This scheme recognises the pressures families with schoolgoing children are under at this time of year, particularly given the cost-of-living challenges people are facing. This year I have increased the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance payment by €100 for the 2022 scheme year, building on the previously announced budget 2022 increase of €10.

The increased rates of payment for the 2022 scheme are €260 for children aged between four and 11 and €385 for children aged 12 and older. These changes and increases are really important in assisting families with purchasing school uniforms and other back-to-school related costs. The scheme will remain open for applications until 30 September. A total of €84 million has been secured for the scheme this year, an increase of €26 million. To qualify for this allowance, a person must meet a number of conditions including an income limit test. I have increased the income limits for one-parent families this year to bring them in line with the income limits for two-parent families, widening the eligibility for that cohort of customers. This was an issue that had been raised with me by lone-parent groups and I was glad to be able to respond.

In addition, I recently announced that the provision of the hot school meal option will be extended to all new DEIS primary schools and the cold lunch option to all new DEIS secondary schools at a full-year cost of €26 million. That will benefit some 60,000 additional children. There are approximately 317 new DEIS schools and those schools will have the option to apply for the school meals programme so there will be 60,000 more children getting a school lunch.

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