Mum tells of panic as application refused

EVERY parent's nightmare is to see their child being picked on for being different.

Kilkenny mother-of-four Carol Cody is panicking that her children will not have a proper school uniform or new shoes as the school term looms.

The hard-working parent applied for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) at the beginning of the summer.

But she only got a reply last week, turning down her request - which Carol blames on her efforts to earn a living for her family.

'I do four nights a week in Supervalu but I do under 20 hours. They tell you to go and earn, but when you work a couple of hours a week it's not worth it.

'It's wrong. I'm losing out for the sake of €30 or €40 a week.'

A furious Carol added: 'they only let me know last week and my kids are back to school on the 31st. I've appealed it now but I still haven't heard.'

She said she was in a 'terrible state' as her children Clive (15), Nathan (13), Michaela (11) and Carolyn (10) were supposed to return to school.

'Nathan's books are €250. He's going into second year and it's nearly €30 a book. There are no book-rental schemes any more.

'It's €50 for the (official) school jumper. The school shoes alone for the boys are €70 or €80. The girls will wear shoes from Dunnes but the boys won't.

'I can't send them back to school. It's embarrassing enough but I'm not sending them in without books or a uniform.'

- Eimear Ni Bhraonain

Irish Independent