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Cobh Families Face Hardship As HSE Fail With Back To School Grants

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According to information obtained by Cobh Town Cllr John Mulvihill jnr in recent days, just forty per cent of applications to the HSE for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Grant have been processed to date. In the south area which includes Cobh 18000 applications were received and only 2100 have been processed. This would suggest that when it comes to getting children back to school in a few weeks time, many Cobh families who badly need this additional support will simply not have it.

“The beginning of the school year is a time when families in Cobh face huge expenses between buying books and stationery, paying for contributions to the school, etc. The grants provided to assist in the purchase shoes and uniforms provide some level of relief to families who are under financial pressure, but only if they don’t receive the support when they actually need it.

“I appreciate that work on these applications is ongoing, but it is very likely that the HSE will receive tens of thousands more in the coming weeks, adding to the backlog.

“Health Minister Mary Harney should make sure that the HSE is in a position to anticipate this situation long before it reaches crisis point, and ensure that they can put in place the necessary staffing arrangements, in a timely manner.”

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