Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)
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49. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will restore the back to school allowance to 2009 levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4986/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The Government has provided €44.3 million for this scheme in 2015.

In 2014, BSCFA payments were made to over 166,000 families in respect of over 304,400 children at a cost of €42.5 million. The rate of payment was €100 in respect of children aged 4 to 11 and €200 for children over 12 years in second level education.

Any changes to the scheme to increase the payment amounts would have to be considered in a budgetary context.