Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of families, nationally and by region, in receipt of family income supplement; the estimated number of families who may be eligible but are not claiming and the number of children involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19550/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Family income supplement (FIS) is designed to provide income for employees on low earnings with families. This preserves the incentive to remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if he or she were unemployed and claiming other social welfare payments. To qualify for payment of FIS, a person must be engaged in full-time insurable employment which is expected to last for at least three months and be working for a minimum of 38 hours a fortnight or 19 hours a week. A couple may combine their hours of employment to meet the qualification criteria. The applicant must also have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them or is supported by them. Furthermore, the average family income must be below a specified amount which varies according to the number of qualified children in the family.

The current number of families in receipt of FIS is 28,223. A breakdown of this number by county is set out in the table that follows this reply. Current data on those who may qualify for FIS but do not claim is unavailable as it cannot be derived from administrative data sources. In the past, the ESRI has produced estimates that point to relatively low take-up of FIS, but it is not clear if this represents the up-to-date position. In recent years, there has been a growth in the FIS claimload. It is not apparent whether this reflects better take-up or simply a larger employment pool. Recent work commissioned by the Department suggests that the take-up problem may have improved, partially because of initiatives to improve information and make the payment more attractive.