Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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505. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if consideration will be given to awarding the back-to-school allowance to families who foster children with Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39149/22]

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 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. 

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is not payable in respect of foster children as the financial support available to foster parents from Tusla, the foster care allowance, includes assistance with the cost of clothing and footwear for the foster child.

Any changes to the eligibility criteria for the scheme would have to be considered in a budgetary context and within the scope of the overall resources available for welfare improvements.

Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an additional needs payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme by the Community Welfare Service.  

Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service.  There is a National CWS Contact Centre in place – 0818-607080 – which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.