Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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568. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she is taking to ensure accessibility in applying for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, in particular for applicants having difficulties with computer literacy, language, broadband and ICT. [15049/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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 scheme will be open in June 2022.  As in previous years, 80% of payments under this scheme will be paid without the need to make an application.  Auto-paid customers will be notified in writing of their entitlement in June and will receive their payments in the week ending 15 July.

Customers who do not receive a letter regarding their back to school clothing and footwear allowance by the end of June will need to make an application online on www.mywelfare.ie.  The online application will be open from the end of June.  Customers who are unable to make their applications online can contact our contact centre on 071 9193318 or 0818 11 11 13 or alternatively customers can email our dedicated email address, bscfa@welfare.ie where an officer will provide any assistance to the customer to apply online or will issue an application form directly to the customer.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.