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 Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance or BTSCFA is designed to help Irish families to meet the cost of uniforms and footwear for children between 2 and 22 years, attending school before October 1st. of the year you apply. The scheme operates from 1 June to 30 September each year and is provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) as part of the Supplementary Welfare Scheme.
Conditions:
To obtain this allowance, you being a parent or guardian, must meet a number of conditions:
- Applicants must be getting certain Social Welfare payments or payments for training, employment schemes or adult education.
- Your total household income must be below an agreed amount.
- The child/student must be in full-time education at a recognised school or college.
Qualifing Rules for Application
You may qualify for this allowance if you are in one of the following groups:
- Getting a Social Welfare payment (including Family Income Supplement) or a Health Service Executive payment.
- You are taking part in an approved employment scheme.
- You are involved in an Area Partnership Scheme.
- You are taking part in a recognised education or training course.
- You are attending a FÁS, Fáilte Ireland or LES training scheme.
Income limits
Total household income must be below the amounts shown below. Your total household income is your main social welfare or Health Service Executive payment, the income of any dependent children on Youthreach and any other income you may have including wages (before tax, but excluding PRSI and reasonable travelling expenses). Savings and investments (including property, but not your home) are assessed as follows:
Capital Weekly means assessed
First €5,000 not taken into account
Next €10,000 €1 per €1,000
Next €25,000 €2 per €1,000
Balance €4 per €1,000
All income obtained from Rent Supplement or Mortgage Interest Supplement, Family Income Supplement, Blind Welfare Allowance, Rehabilitative Training Allowance, rehabilitative employment (up to €120 per week), Home Help, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Mobility Allowance and Higher Education Grants Schemes, are not calculated.
Couple with Income limit in 2009
1 child €560
2 children €586
3 children €612
4 children €638
Lone parent with Income limit in 2009
1 child €407
2 children €433
3 children €459
4 children €485
In both cases the income limit is increased by €26 for each additional child.
People on ‘Back to Education Allowance’ or VTOS
Applicants can apply for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and will be assessed using the standard rules and the total household income must be below the income already shown above.
People on certain back to work schemes
Some special conditions apply for people who are on Back to Work Allowance (Employees), Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Community Employment, Job Initiative, Revenue Job Assist, Rural Social Scheme and the Community Services Programme/Social Economy Programme (Grant Aided Employees). If applicants were on a social welfare or Health Service Executive payment before going onto one of these schemes, you will first be assessed using the standard means test for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. Failing to qualify using the standard means test, you can be re-assessed to find out if you can retain the Allowance as a secondary benefit under the different back to work schemes. In the re-assessment you can keep your entitlement to the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance or apply for it if you did not have an eligible child before now, as long as your gross household income is less than €317.43.
The people most likely to qualify using the secondary benefit (€317.43) assessment are people getting Back to Work Allowance or Back to Work Enterprise Allowance. In the re-assessment of means, the value of the Back to Work Allowance, Back to Enterprise Allowance and Family Income Supplement is not taken into account in the calculation of your gross household income.
Rates
Rate of the allowance paid for each eligible child aged 2-11 before 1st October 2009 is €200.
Rate of the allowance paid for each eligible child aged 12-17 before 1st October 2009 is €305.
Rate for each child aged 18-22 is also paid at the higher rate, if you are getting an increase for a child dependant for that child and he/she is in full-time education. As a special measure introduced in Budget 2009, an additional amount of €215 is paid for children aged 18 getting half rate Child Benefit. This means, a child aged 18 getting half rate Child Benefit will get a Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance of €520.
How to apply
Remember the scheme is open only from 1 June to 30 September. To apply, fill in a Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance form which can be obtained at your local health centre or text FORM BTSCFA followed by your name and address to 51909 (standard text rates will apply).
Remember it will take a number of weeks to process your application in full.
 The School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin will present this week, a public lecture by Jonathan Tarbox, PdD and entitled “Is Recovery From Authism Possible?”
Dr. Jonathan Tarbox is currently the Director of Research and Development at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders. Dr. Tarbox has worked in a variety of positions in the field of behavior analysis, including basic research, applied research, and practical work; with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, of all ages, and their families and care providers.
He has worked for and in public school districts, private schools, sheltered workshops, group homes, developmental centers, behavioral consultation agencies, hospitals, and community-based recreational programs; in direct service provision, supervision, consultation, and program development and director roles.
His early career involved positions at both the New England Center for Children and the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Dr. Tarbox is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and he received his PhD in Behavior Analysis from the  University of Nevada, Reno, under the mentorship of Dr. Linda J. Parrot Hayes.
Throughout his career in autism and behavior analysis, Dr. Tarbox has been actively engaged in research in applied behavior analysis and has published research articles in peer-reviewed journals as well book chapters in behavioral psychology texts.
Dr. Tarbox’s current research interests include recovery from autism and teaching complex language and cognition to children with autism.
The overarching consensus within the medical community is that there is no cure for autism. More than 20 years of research on applied behavior analytic treatment for autism has consistently demonstrated that a significant proportion of children make dramatic gains via behavioral intervention, including achieving a level of functioning indistinguishable from typically developing children of the same age.
In this lecture, Dr Tarbox will propose a position on defining recovery from autism. He will describe a provisional definition of recovery and review relevant scientific research. The concept of recovery from autism is complicated and controversial and this presentation will deal sensitively with these issues. Dr Tarbox will describe the results of both scientific research and common clinical observations from more than 20 years of practice in the behavior analytic community.
Residents from County Tipperary and elsewhere interested in attending this worthwhile lecture should note:
Date: Tuesday 9 June 2009
Time: 7:00 pm -8:30 pm (registration 6.30-7.00)
Location: Trinity College Dublin Hamilton Building, MacNeil Hall (1st floor) (Located at the rear of campus. Enter at Westland Row or Pearse St. gates
Admissions & Registration: (Registration will happen at the door from 6.30-7.00)
Admission – €15.00 (Note: No charge to Trinity staff and students.)
 A large quantity of prescription drugs including more than 83,000 Rohypnolis tablets, have been stolen from a pharmaceutical company in north Co.Dublin.
Rohypnolis, widely known as a ‘Date Rape’ drug, incapacitates its victim and prevent them from resisting sexual assault. The drug commonly referred to in street slang as a “roofie” can be administered by adding it to either food or drink without the victim’s knowledge. This drug is banned in The USA for this reason and as it can produce “anterograde amnesia,” which means that individuals may not remember events they experienced while under the effects of the drug. Respiratory depression, coma, and death are unpredictable possibilities when someone unknowingly takes the date rape drug, especially in large doses or in combination with alcohol.
Companies around the world are presently trying to make paper drink coasters or test strips that change color when dabbed with a drink doctored with a date rape drug, however testing kits that claim to detect GHB, Ketamine, and Benzodiazepines such as Rohypnol, in seconds, are commercially available under names such as “The Drink Detective” but are not as yet readily available in this country.
The drug is invisible when dissolved in water, and is completely odorless. Though somewhat saltish in taste, but are indiscernible when dissolved in beverages such as soft drinks, liquor, or beer.
These tablets will circulate and be sold around the country very quickly. Party goers are warned to practise extreme caution as drinks may be very easily spiked. Do not leave food and particularly drinks unattended.
Gardaí say up to four men overpowered a security guard, stealing over 80,000 Rohypnol tablets and 1,000,000 Zopiclone sedatives. Zopiclone is known colloquially as the “Z-drug” and induces amnesia type memory impairments. Impairment of ones driving skills with a resultant increased risk of road traffic accidents is probably the most important immediate side effect to users of this drug.
 North Tipperary Hospice ‘In Home Care’ Movement has announced that it has acquired a premises at Clongour to develop a Cancer Support Centre. The property at ‘Green Lawn’, Clongour, Thurles, Co Tipperary will now become known as the ‘Suir Haven’ Cancer Support Centre and aims to provide a supportive and holistic environment with privacy and dignity preserved at all times, for people affected by cancer and their close family members.
The diagnosis of Cancer marks the beginning of a long and very frightening journey, not just for the affected individual but also for their family members, their friends and carers. Medical concerns will continue to be addressed through the range of available treatments within the Health Service while emotional needs and those of their family and friends will be met, where possible, by this new centre, who will provide a friendly and relaxed environment where those effected are welcome to discuss their individual difficulties.
In line with other cancer support centres in towns around the country, the Thurles service will provide a wide range of information to meet individuals needs. This information comes in the form of leaflets and booklets on specific cancers including symptoms and their side affects. It will also provide information on practical and emotional issues, complementary therapies, relaxation and meditation sessions, by appointment.
This valuable service comes provided in an atmosphere of total privacy, free of charge and funded by the North Tipperary Hospice ‘In Home Care’ Movement.
There will be an open evening to recruit new volunteers for this new premises beginning on Friday 15th. May from 7pm. to 9pm. at this centre, so if you can help, please try to be present.
To furnish the centre, towels, computer desks, lamps, filing cabinet, office desk, garden furniture, armchairs, tables, relaxing chairs, candles and candle holders, are required and North Tipperary Hospice Movement are appealing for your public support in this charitable endeavour.
On Friday May 22nd next, Thurles Lions Club are proud to present “Frankly Sinatra” in the Premier Hall, Thurles, Co Tipperary. Half of the profits from this event will go to the North Tipperary Hospice movement, so please support both events if possible.
 Members of the Nenagh Hospital Action Group held the first of many expected protest vigils outside Nenagh hospital, Co. Tipperary on Monday evening last. This action follows on from the leaked announcement in November last that :-
• Acute surgery and overnight medical treatment will be moved to the Mid West Regional Hospital in Dooradoyle, Limerick.
• Accident and Emergency services in the hospital will be reviewed and will become nurse-led.
• Critical care services will be reviewed. Note, the elderly care unit in Nenagh hospital was already closed for last summer.
This announcement now firmly places the future of Nenagh Hospital, which has had a CT scanner unused and collecting dust for over 1.5 years, firmly in the category of a day care centre offering only minor day surgery in a nurse led outpatient diagnostic clinic.
The situation was simply explained by one protester who stated:- “This hospital service now being offered to the people of North Tipperary is about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike, and political heads must now roll”.
This announcement when fully implemented will mean that any overnight surgery must now take place in Limerick, thereby creating untold hardship for the people of North Tipperary and adding one hour extra travelling time to patients from Thurles , in need of emergency treatment.
At a recent previous protest meeting demanding that Prof. Brendan Drumm, head of the Health Service Executive, should now come out and explain his future plans for acute services in Mid West Hospitals, the North Tipperary Fianna Fail TD, Mrs Maire Hoctor was booed off the podium and prevented from speaking.
Addressing the vigil on Monday night last, North Tipperary Labour Party Senator Alan Kelly, hit out at the planned downgrading of the hospital and called on the HSE to reconsider their decision even at this late hour. He stated:
“The people of Nenagh will continue to fight for the same quality of health service that is available in any other Irish city. We will chain ourselves to the gates if we have to. The people of North Tipperary will not be once again rolled over on this issue.”
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