Written answers
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Benefits
Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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96. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of recipients of the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance in County Kildare each year from 2022 to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57472/25]
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.
The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 on or before 30 September and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 on or before 30 September, if returning to full time second level education. To qualify for the allowance, the applicant must be in receipt of a Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child) in respect of the child for whom the allowance is being claimed, the applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and the assessable income for the household must be within a set income limit.
The number of recipients of the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance in County Kildare each year from 2022 to 2025 is set out in tabular form below.
| Year | Recipients in County Kildare | Number of children |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 6,292 | 11,225 |
| 2023 | 6,289 | 11,148 |
| 2024 | 6,148 | 10,832 |
| 2025 (to date) | 5,962 | 10,562 |
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