Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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140. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the back to school clothing and footwear allowance for children of between 12 and 18 years of age, from €250 to €300, for children of between 4 and 11 years of age, from €150 to €200; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44206/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, 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 2015, BSCFA payments were made to some 153,000 families in respect of over 290,000 children. The rate of payment is €100 in respect of children aged 4 to 11 and €200 for children over 12 years in second level education.

The cost of increasing the BSCFA payment by €50 for each eligible child, i.e. from €200 to €250 in respect of children over 12 years in second level education and from €100 to €150 in respect of children aged 4 to 11 years, would be approximately €14.5 million. The cost of increasing the payment by €100 for each eligible child, i.e. to €300 and €200 respectively, would be approximately €29 million.

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