Dáil debates

Thursday, 14 July 2022

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

School Costs

10:30 am

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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79. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps her Department is planning to offset September back-to-school costs, given they are just around the corner. [38907/22]

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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Will the Minister outline the steps her Department is taking in terms of supporting back-to-school expenditure?

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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.

10:40 am

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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I thank the Minister. I would never say that she is a person who does not have concern for those going back to school. I welcome the expenditure she has secured in terms of advance steps. I will refer to those who are not eligible for back-to-school payments. Recent surveys have shown that the average cost of sending a child back to school is now nearly €1,200 for a primary school student and nearly €1,500 for a child in secondary school. The Irish League of Credit Unions recently released the results of a survey that showed that nearly 24% of families get into debt at this time of year. It is a significant cost and, as the Minister knows, it is also rising rapidly. I welcome the Minister's announcement with regard to subsidising school transport and the additions she has outlined but are we doing enough to address the core of the issue of school costs?

I will raise the issue of school contributions, which every family faces at this time of year. It is very hard to avoid them. It is very hard on kids to feel excluded or to be sent home with envelopes asking for school contributions when their parents are really struggling. It may be time to look at capitation grants. Will the Minister speak to the Minister for Education about increasing capitation grants to schools nationwide?

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Any increase to capitation grants would be a matter for the Minister for Education. Free school transport will be a big boost for many families because it costs in the region of €500. That will be a big help to families who were facing that cost. It has been waived for this year so they will not have to worry. That will give them a bit of extra money that they can put towards the other costs of going back to school. To be fair, €260 for a child under 11 and €385 for a child 12 or older represents a good help. The payment was never designed to cover all the costs of going back to school. I understand that this is a very expensive time for parents. I know that. I worked in a credit union and saw it myself. However, as I said, we have increased the rates and provided an extra €26 million this year towards the cost of going back to school.

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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As the Minister will know, many people who are in receipt of social welfare payments are not eligible to receive this allowance. These include those receiving rent supplement, the guardian's payment and benefits for the blind. There are people who need this support who are not eligible. I have specific concerns for the squeezed middle, for example, families where there are two working parents whose income renders them ineligible for any support from the State in sending their children back to school despite being the ones who are commuting, doing the drop-offs and paying for childcare. How can we give support to such people? They are the productive people in the economy who are making PRSI contributions through their employment. They are seeing a significant uptick in the cost of living and, unfortunately, this is not reflected in their take-home pay. We all agree that we want to give all our children the best chance in education but that requires us to ensure that their families at home have the financial ability to provide such opportunity without being driven into penury. I ask that we do more to increase eligibility among those in that squeezed middle bracket.

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Over recent months, the Government has announced a package of €2.4 billion to help people meet the cost of living and the cost of fuel. I am the Minister for Social Protection and my priority is to assist those on low and fixed incomes and to keep people out of poverty. That is my number one priority. We have the working family payment. I understand that there are people who do not qualify for this payment. I accept that they are working hard but the best way to support them is through a comprehensive tax package. The Deputy knows that the Government has committed to providing a comprehensive tax package of more than €1 billion in the coming budget, which is less than 11 weeks away now. That is how we can help those people who do not qualify for these payments. However, the Deputy will appreciate that, as Minister for Social Protection, my number one priority is to keep people out of poverty and to target those on low incomes and those most in need.