Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of children affected by the cuts to the back to school footware and clothing allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4051/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme provides a one-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The Government has provided €48.8m for the scheme in 2013. The rates for 2013, which are not intended to meet the full cost of school clothing and footwear but to provide assistance towards these costs, compare favourably with available prices. The rates of back to school clothing and footwear allowance had increased significantly since 2006 when viewed in the context of clothing and footwear price trends. The October 2012 Consumer Price Index indicates that the overall cost of clothing and footwear has fallen by over 27% during the same period. Approximately 187,000 families, with 340,000 children, were assisted under the scheme in 2012. It is expected that a similar number of families and children will benefit from the scheme in 2013.