Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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437. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if, following a reduction of €50 per child, there are plans to cut the back to school clothing and footwear allowance; if she will confirm the number of recipients of financial assistance pertaining to this scheme in 2012, compared to those recipients in 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24267/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSFFA) 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 of BSCFA have increased significantly in recent years when viewed in the context of clothing and footwear price trends. Since 2006, BSCFA rates have increased from €120 to €150 in 2012 in respect of qualified children aged from 4 to 11 years and from €190 to €250 for those aged from 12 to 22. These are increases of 25% and 31.5% respectively. The March 2013 Consumer Price Index indicates that the overall cost of clothing and footwear has fallen by approximately 30% over the same period. In light of these trends the payment rates were reduced to €100 and €200 respectively in Budget 2013.

In 2011, over 196,000 individuals received a BSCFA payment in respect of some 384,000 children at a cost of almost €91m. Approximately 187,000 families, with 340,000 children, were assisted under the scheme in 2012 at a cost of €65.7 million.

It is expected that a similar number of families and children will benefit from the scheme in 2013. Any changes to the scheme would be considered in a budgetary context.