Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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582. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a child who is in receipt of the disability allowance and who is still in full-time secondary education will qualify for the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance given that children will likely not be considered for qualified child increase through their parents if they are in receipt of disability allowance themselves and that school children over 16 years do not qualify for domiciliary care allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36992/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid.

To qualify for the allowance a person must meet a number of conditions namely:

- The child must meet the age criteria.

- The applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and getting an increase in that payment for the qualified child (except in certain circumstances) in the period 1 June to 30 September.

- The assessable income for the household must be within prescribed limits.

- The applicant and the child (or children) in respect of whom the allowance is claimed must be resident in the State.

Children who are in receipt of social protection payments in their own right, for example Disability Allowance, will not meet the qualifying criteria for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payment.

Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an additional needs payments under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme by the Community Welfare Service (CWS).

Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment under the is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service. There is a National CWS Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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583. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the action that she will take regarding persons (details supplied) who are in receipt of the disablement benefit not being eligible for the fuel allowance given that they are still under the means test limit considering the current cost of fuel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37014/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to the Department in as targeted a manner as possible. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.

Disablement Benefit is a benefit under the Occupational Injuries Scheme. It can be paid to a recipient who suffers a loss of physical or mental faculty because of an accident at work, an accident travelling directly to or from work, or a prescribed disease contracted at work. The contribution requirements for the scheme are minimal when compared to other Departmental benefit schemes.

People in receipt of Disablement Benefit (without another social welfare payment) can work full or part time and continue to receive the Benefit Payment – in other words, they are not prevented from generating additional income.

Disablement Benefit is paid at the same time as most social welfare payments including Jobseeker’s Benefit, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, State Pension and One-Parent Family Payment. It is not considered as means for most social welfare means-assessed schemes except for Fuel Allowance, Supplementary Welfare Allowance or Working Family Payment.

Incapacity Supplement is an increase payable in addition to Disablement Benefit where a person is considered to be permanently incapable of work as a result of an occupational accident or disease and does not qualify for another Social Welfare benefit such as Illness Benefit. This Incapacity Supplement is a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance.

Therefore, while Disablement Benefit on its own is a disqualifying payment for Fuel Allowance because a person may continue to or take up work, or may receive another social welfare payment in parallel, qualification for Incapacity Supplement in addition to Disablement Benefit qualifies that recipient for Fuel Allowance (subject to satisfying all other qualifying criteria).

I have asked officials in my Department to prepare a report reviewing the treatment of Disablement Benefit under the Fuel Allowance scheme. This report has now been finalised and the report's contents and recommendations will be considered in the context of the upcoming budget.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.