COUNTY MAYOR CALLS FOR INFORMATION ON WITHDRAWAL OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES GRANT

Date Published: 28-Jan-2013

The Mayor of County Galway has called on the Department Of Social Protection to give full information on the withdrawal of the grant for religious ceremonies

Mayor Thomas Welby says the withdrawal of the support would have a severe impact on low-income families in Galway.

However the Dept has defended its decision to cease payments of grants in relation to religious ceremonies such as First Holy Communion

The financial support which was capped at 110 euro per child last year was provided under the Exceptional Needs Payments (ENP) fund.

The Department has now recommended that the payment of the allowance specifically in relation to religious ceremonies will cease this year.

It says this measure will ensure that the ENP scheme will respond to specific need and not to occasion.

But it adds the recommendation does not affect the discretion available to officers administering the ENP scheme.

Mayor Welby says the Department of social protection needs to inform people the payment is no longer available.