Humphreys insists back-to-school allowance backlog will be cleared

Junior Social Protection Minister Kevin Humphreys has today insisted that the backlog of applications for the back-to-school allowance will be cleared.

As of last week, 28,000 out of 49,000 applications were yet to be finalised.

Up to €40m has been ringfenced for the means-tested allowance - which is worth €100 for primary school and €200 for second level students.

The Labour Deputy said that he hopes most of the backlog will be cleared before schools open again.

"We will look at the individual circumstances - they may be advised to go to the community welfare officer in specific periods that have real difficulties," said Deputy Humphreys.

"But we're dealing with those fairly clearly, I would hope the vast majority will be dealt with obviously before people have gone back this week - and it is late applications that we're seeing the backlog."