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

I thank the Deputy. Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make an additional needs payment to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from his or her weekly income. Payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme. These can and do include support to assist people with clothing costs outside of emergency situations where they are unable to meet this need from their own resources. This approach provides targeted support rather than a general clothing allowance. The community welfare officer will consider all the relevant circumstances of the case to help those most in need.

From January to end of September 2022, more than 27,000 additional needs payments with a combined value of more than €3.9 million were made to help people with the cost of clothing. The majority of these payments were made to those arriving from Ukraine.

My Department also provides a back to school clothing and footwear allowance to eligible families to assist with the cost of clothing and footwear when children return to school each autumn. This year, the allowance was increased by a further €100 for each eligible child under the scheme. The total amount paid for each qualified child aged from four to 11 was €260 and the rate payable for each eligible child aged 12 and over was €385. More than 157,000 families have benefited from this measure in 2022, providing assistance with the cost of clothing and footwear to almost 273,000 children.

I do not consider that there is a need to introduce a specific clothing allowance given the supports already provided to assist with meeting the current cost-of-living challenges, and access to the additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income.

I encourage any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment to contact their local community welfare service for assistance. There is a national community welfare contact centre in place that will direct callers to the appropriate office.

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