Department underbudgeted for back-to-school costs

Nearly €40m has been spent by the Government to help families with the cost of sending children back to school in 2016.

The €39.8m layout is €1m more than was budgeted for in October 2015 as demand was higher than expected.

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar had to get Dáil approval at the start of December, as part of a wider social welfare supplementary estimate, to increase the budget for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA) by €1.3m.