Thousands face delay in back-to-school aid [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 06 August 2010
TENS of thousands of families may be waiting weeks after their children return to school before getting state help with the cost of uniforms.
As a new survey shows the cost of educating a child from primary through to third level has risen almost 4.5% to €70,000 in the last year, figures from the Health Service Executive (HSE) show that less than half of applications for the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance have been finalised to date.
They were released to the Labour Party a week ago, even though the HSE told the Irish Examiner yesterday morning that no details were yet available on the numbers of applications or processed claims.
Labour TD Joanna Tuffy revealed in a lunchtime statement that figures given in reply to questions from her colleague Ruairi Quinn last week show that almost 122,000 claims had so far been submitted to HSE community welfare officers for the allowance.
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