Back-to-school payments due for 380,000 children
The Department of Social Protection paid over €90m last year to 196,000 homes for 384,000 school and college students under the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance.
However, Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has slashed the budget to €63.7m. Children aged two or three no longer qualify, and the amount payable has been cut by up to 25%.