Until this year Deborah Gregg (33) was unable to give any of her four children a birthday party. She couldn't afford it.
"They were the only kids in the flats who didn't get a birthday party. That was very hard for them."
This year, however, she took up an opportunity to get trained in computer use and earn some extra money. For this she has been penalised. Last month she was refused the Back to School clothing and footwear allowance because she was earning €2.50 more per week than permitted under the scheme's terms.
The single mother has two boys and two girls, aged between seven and 12.
Deborah, who lives in Dublin's city centre, explains that she could not go out to work until all her children were at school. Her entire income, until early this year was the €202 a week Lone Parents Allowance, plus monthly Child Benefit of €593.80.
Life was a "constant struggle". There were mornings she sent her children to school without a packed lunch. "I just didn't have anything to give them." Last Christmas she had to go to a money-lender for money to buy some clothes for the children, and a present each.
Starting in January to work 20 hours a week training in computers was "a chance to make things a bit better". She is paid €262 a week.
"It's heaven to be back out in the workplace," she says. But losing the Back to School allowance "was like a kick".
The allowance - a one-off payment at the start of each school year - would have been worth €80 for each of the younger children, and €120 for her eldest boy, who is starting secondary school.
"The ones who turned me down said I was working and earning too much. They said I should apply for Family Income Supplement. So I did that and then that Department said I couldn't get it because you had to be in employment and I was in training."
The Society of St Vincent de Paul helped with the almost €600 it cost to buy her children's uniforms and shoes. "I did consider giving up the CE scheme. It just seems every time you move forward there's someone standing there saying, 'Stop'."
