A scheme which provides financial help to parents of school going children is in jeopardy due to a staff shortage locally, a former mayor and city councillor has claimed.
Padraig Conneely says up to 10,000 applications - a 50 per cent increase on last year - have been received for the Back to School clothing/footwear/books allowance in Galway.
“Families can avail of financial assistance through the Department of Family and Social Affairs scheme for the purchase of clothing, footwear and books. However the scheme is in serious doubt this year due to lack of staff in the community welfare office in Galway.
“Due to the economic slowdown there has been a 50 per cent increase in the number of families applying for the community welfare financial assistance. There are now up to 10,000 applicants in Co Galway waiting for their applications to be processed.”
The Fine Gael councillor, who is a member of the HSE’s regional health forum west, says the scheme is administered by the health authority on behalf of the Department of Family and Social Affairs.
“Due to lack of funding in the HSE the appointment of additional staff needed to administer the scheme is now stalled and no applications for family assistance are being processed,” he claims.
“Applications for family assistance are made from 1st June each year and 10,000 applications have been made in the county and city. Thousands of families are now left in limbo not knowing if they will receive the Back to School assistance.”
Cllr Conneely says this is a worrying time for hardpressed parents of school children. “This is another burden placed on families with rising unemployment and financial hardship. I will be raising this issue as a matter of urgency at the next HSE West regional forum meeting.”
