More back to school money ‘is needed’ says Willie O’Dea

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar has been urged to find money elsewhere in his budget to ensure all eligible families get the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.

Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea said it is worrying that Mr Varadkar’s department appears to have underestimated how much it will need to pay out for the support. He was responding to figures published by the Irish Examiner yesterday showing the €38.8m allocation is likely to be inadequate.

Expecting fewer families to qualify, the Department of Social Protection last October set aside €35.5m for the scheme in 2016, down from last year’s €41m budget. It was later hiked to €38.8m, but nearly €33m has already been paid with less than half of the 45,000 applications received to date finalised.