Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)

I raise an issue that has been coming across my desk the past couple of weeks. It concerns parents of foster children and the back to school allowance, which is going to means tested. They have made the argument to me that they do not just put a roof over these children's heads. They give them love and stability and make them a part of their family. A lot of these children end up in State care through no fault of their own. A lot of them could be born into addiction or in houses where there is domestic abuse. There are a lot of other costs involved with these children. Do not get me wrong, I know the State covers the cost of sending them for play therapy and to therapists. However, the foster parents of these children have to get them to and from these appointments. As the leader knows, the cost of living has increased, and the cost of fuel and diesel has increased. They think it unfair that they would be put through a means test to get these children back to school and to ensure they have what they need going back to school. Is that something that could be looked at and maybe an allowance made? They are taking a huge cost from the State by providing the service, in the same way carers for older people take the cost from the State. It would be nice to see something go back to them.