125. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of families in receipt of family income supplement; the total cost for each of the years 2010 to 2015 to date; the estimated total cost for 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41522/15]

The family income supplement (FIS) is designed to provide support for employees, with families, who have low earnings.

The numbers in receipt of FIS and the annual expenditure since 2010 are given in the table below;

Table --- FIS Numbers and Expenditure

* Provisional ** Estimate *** end October 2015