Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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274. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the plight of foster parents’ difficulties in qualifying for back to school clothing and footwear allowance for foster children due to means test being applied for assessment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35020/25]

Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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276. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will remove the means assessment for foster children when applying for the back-to-school clothing and footwear grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35066/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 274 and 276 together.

This Government acknowledges the important role that carers, including foster carers, play and remains fully committed to supporting them. That is why I was really pleased to announce that Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance eligibility is being extended to include children for whom Foster Care Allowance is being paid.

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.

In order to qualify for Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, an applicant must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, one of which requires the applicant’s household income to be within the relevant income limits. The income limits for the scheme are increased annually as part of the budget process.

The Weekly Household Income Limits for 2025 are:

The household income includes weekly social protection payments, gross income from employment, minus employees PRSI and a €20 travel allowance and any other income the household may have.

Any income from Working Family Payment, Child Benefit, Rent Supplement, Back to Work Family Dividend, Guardian’s Payments, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Blind Welfare Allowance, Foster Care Allowance, Higher Level Education grants is not assessable. Rehabilitative employment (up to €165 per week) is also not assessable.

Matters relating to foster care are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, whose Department has overseen a significant increase in investment in foster care supports, including a 21% increase to the rates of the foster care allowance. The rates have been increased to €400 per week for children aged under 12, and €425 per week for those over 12. In 2025, this means that foster carers will receive an additional €3,900 in allowances.

In addition, Budget 2025 set out further investment and support towards children in foster care, including funding which will be used to provide an Initial Placement Payment at the beginning of each initial foster care placement from 2025. Provision has also been made for additional mileage support for foster carers who have significant travel responsibilities for children in their care.

It is expected some 2,300 children in foster care will now be eligible for the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and I encourage foster care families to apply for the allowance.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.