More than a month into the new school year, there are still almost 40,000 families waiting for Back to School allowance payments to be processed in Letterkenny, according to Donegal Fianna Fáil Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill.
Senator Ó Domhnaill said: “The Government’s lack of planning is causing unacceptable delays in the processing of applications for the Back to School clothing and footwear allowance.
“It’s causing great distress to families in Donegal and across the country who are dependent on this payment to help them cope with the cost of the new school term.
“I have raised this issue several times in the Seanad and I am very disappointed with the lack of urgency from the Government in tackling what has become a completely unacceptable delay. Many parents in my own constituency have contacted me because they cannot afford essentials like new school uniforms and shoes without the State support that’s available.
“The Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has informed me that to date, 179,000 households have received payments under the scheme but that some 38,500 households are still waiting for their applications to be processed and paid.
“I am calling on Minister Burton to make additional resources available to the Back to School clothing & footwear Allowance section of her Department so that all payments can be issued in the next couple of weeks.”
The applications are being processed by staff in Letterkenny.
Sources say they are ‘snowed under’ and just don’t have enough people to process more than 1,000 applications per day.
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