Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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617. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of foster carers or children in foster care who were able to avail of the back to school allowance this year, and the number of foster carers that applied and were refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51281/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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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.

In order to qualify for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, an applicant must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, including the applicant must be in receipt of a weekly social protection payment or participating on an approved employment or training support scheme and the applicant’s household income must 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 Foster Care Allowance, Working Family Payment, Child Benefit, Rent Supplement, Back to Work Family Dividend, Guardian’s Payments, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Blind Welfare Allowance and Higher-Level Education grants is not assessable. Rehabilitative employment (up to €165 per week) is also not assessable.

This year, I was really pleased to announce extending eligibility for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance to children for whom Foster Care Allowance is being paid. It is expected some 2,300 children in foster care will now be eligible for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.

The number of foster carers or children in foster care who availed of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and the number of foster carers that applied and were refused is not available as the Department collates data based on the qualifying payment the applicant is in receipt of.

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme opened to applications on 9 June 2025. Up to close of business on Thursday 25 September, Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payments totalling €54.81m have issued to 143,134 families in respect of 253,576 children.

The scheme remains open to new applications on www.mywelfare.ie until 30 September 2025.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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618. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if foster carers who foster with a private agency are being refused the carers allowance based on the fact that they are fostering with a private agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51282/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that, as a result, they require that level of care.

Foster carers may qualify for the range of carer related income supports including CA if they satisfy the eligibility criteria as outlined above.

CA is not refused to foster carers on the ground that they are fostering with a private agency. Decision on CA are made by Deciding Officers in accordance with the legislative provisions, taking account of all information and documentation provided as part of the application. Foster Care Allowance is not assessed as means for any social welfare payments.

This Government acknowledges the important role that carers, including foster carers, play and remains fully committed to supporting them. In the Programme for Government, we committed to examining the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance eligibility criteria to allow flexibility for foster carers. We have done that, and I am really pleased that children for whom Foster Care Allowance is being paid are eligible for the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance this year, once they meet the qualifying conditions for the payment.

If the Deputy has a particular case in mind, you might provide the relevant details so that my officials can examine the specific case.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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619. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the plans made regarding pensions for foster carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51283/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Matters relating to foster carers, previously foster parents, are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality.

This Government acknowledges the important role that carers, including foster carers, play and remains fully committed to supporting them. The State Pension (Contributory) system already provides a range of measures to recognise caring periods outside of paid employment, such as PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards, and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate.

Foster carers are entitled to benefit from these measures on the same basis as other carers and parents. If they are not in receipt of Child Benefit, they can still qualify for the Homemaker’s Scheme or HomeCaring Periods provided the caring periods are confirmed by Tusla. Foster carers can register for up to 20 years caring periods for child under the age of 12, or for children over the age of 12 in the case of a child who requires additional nursing care.

Since January 2024, long-term carer's contributions can be awarded to a person who has cared for an incapacitated person demanding full-time care for a period of 20 years or more. These contributions are treated the same as paid contributions for State Pension (Contributory) entitlement only and can be used to fill any gaps in a person's contribution record, including satisfying the minimum 520 contributions, or 10 years, required for eligibility.

Foster carers who have cared for an incapacitated dependent or dependents for over 20 years also benefit from this provision.

These measures assist foster carers to access the State pension system in the same way as biological or adoptive parents, while ensuring that the system remains sustainable.

Any future changes to State Pension system would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context, including the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.