Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

On the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance for foster families, it was an anomaly that foster children could not qualify for this scheme. This was even to the extent that there could be foster children and other children within a family. Some of the children would have qualified and the foster children would not. I have corrected that anomaly. There are means tests, however, across all our schemes. I do not want to correct an anomaly by creating another. I understand the extraordinary role played by foster parents. I look forward to working to continue to enhance conditions.

In the context of that big budgets are made up of small asks, I will use that a lot if the Deputy does not mind. I will engage with the Minister, Deputy McEntee. She is conscious of this. We have had discussions. As the Deputy said, the cost-of-living crisis is also affecting clothing and footwear. That is a massive expense on families at this time of year, particularly as children go back to school and if schools are demanding particular kinds of uniforms. I wish to make sure the money, which is relatively small, is directed at that cohort at this time.

We have made huge investment in school books. My Department has made huge investment in school meals. We are focused on trying to improve the experience of children in education, but my Department cannot continue being the Department that everybody comes to looking for assistance.

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