Over 600 families in Tipperary are awaiting a decision on their Family Income Supplement application or renewal.
That's according to Deputy Michael Lowry who has been informed by the Department of Social Protection that the backlog will not be fully eliminated until the end of March next year.
The North Tipp T.D says the on-going delay in tackling this issue is grossly unacceptable and is putting incredible pressure on families on lower incomes.
He says behind each of these 624 applications is not just an individual but an entire family that are struggling to make ends meet.
Michael Lowry says many families who were relying on this payment coming through before Christmas will now be forced to look for alternative sources of credit and may be driven into the hands of unscrupulous moneylenders.
