Written answers

Thursday, 24 October 2019

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Data

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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334. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the back to school clothing and footwear allowance by €10, €20, €25, €30, €35, €40, €45 and €50, respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44097/19]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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 costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn.  The Government has provided €56.3m for the scheme in 2019 which operates from June to September.

The Scheme opened on 1 June and closed on 30 September 2019.

The rate of payment for the 2019 scheme was increased by €25 to €150 in respect of children aged 4 to 11 and to €275 for children aged 12 years and over in second level education.

Based on the total number of children (263,000) covered by the scheme in 2019, the estimated full year cost to increase the BSCFA rates by €10, €20, €25, €30, €35, €40 and €50 is set out in the Tabular Statement.

Any increases to the rates of payment for the BSCFA scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy. 

Amount of increase (per child) Estimated Full Year Cost
€10.00 €58.9 million
€20.00 €61.6 million
€25.00 €62.9 million
€30.00 €64.2 million
€35.00 €65.5 million
€40.00 €66.8 million
€50.00 €69.5 million

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