120. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of families who have a person employed in the public service and who are in receipt of, or have been in receipt of, family income supplement, by cost, for each of the years 2010 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45153/15]

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

It should be noted that the expenditure for public servants who are receiving FIS is included in the overall expenditure figure given. A separate breakdown of expenditure for public servants is not currently available.

The total numbers in receipt of FIS, the number of public servants and the total annual expenditure since 2010 are given in the table.

Table --- FIS Numbers and Expenditure 2010-2015

** Estimate *** end October 2015