Parents of school age children who qualify for the back to school allowance are to receive an additional €100 per child in order to meet school expenses.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) will be paid automatically from this Monday to eligible families, with the increased amount being paid from August. People who may qualify for the allowance but did not receive a letter in June about the payment can apply for the grant online.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has criticised the payment as being insufficient and has called for the allowance to be offered to middle income households.
