Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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39. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection to ensure a person (details supplied) receives an allowance which the person applied for, but was refused. [3617/16]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme is a non-statutory scheme which provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn.

In order to qualify for BSCFA, an applicant must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, one of which requires the applicant’s household income to be within the income limits for that year’s scheme. While employee PRSI is deductible under the guidelines of the scheme, other deductions from earnings such as PAYE, USC, mortgage payments and household bills are not taken into consideration. Following a review on 18 December 2015 of the application by the person concerned, BSCFA has not been awarded in this case due to means in excess of the appropriate household income limit.