Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

345. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of families and children who received the back to school clothing and footwear allowance in 2020. [36013/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The back to school clothing and footwear allowance 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 scheme operates from June to September each year.

The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid.

143,324 families received the back to school clothing and footwear allowance in 2020, in respect of 264,453 children.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

346. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the eligibility for the back to education allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36020/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

If a person is unemployed, parenting alone or has a disability and is in receipt of certain payments from my department, they can take part in a second-or third-level education course and receive a Back to Education Allowance (BTEA). If attending a second-level course, a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment for 3 months or more and if attending a third-level course, 9 months or more. As the person concerned is not currently in receipt of a qualifying payment, he is not eligible to apply for BTEA.

The person concerned submitted an online application for a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment with effect from 17/12/2020. On 21/12/2020 he was requested to provide further information in order to progress his application. The information requested included completing parts of the online application regarding parental income, a letter from the ETB confirming the end date of a course, a letter from Maynooth University confirming course name, start date, duration, part or full time and expected end date and completion and uploading of a form UP1F regarding details of self-employment.

My officials have advised that the requested information remained outstanding and as the application could not be progressed, the claim was closed on 18/02/2021.

There is no record of further correspondence or a recent application for the person concerned with my department. It is open to the person concerned to submit a new application at mywelfare.ie and include all relevant documentation in support of his application.

If the person concerned is experiencing financial difficulties, he can contact his local Community Welfare Service in Maynooth where his circumstances will be assessed. The Community Welfare Service can be contacted by email at kildarecws@welfare.ie. Further information and an application form for an Exceptional Needs Payment can be found at www.gov.ie/dsp.

I trust this clarifies the matter.