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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Feb 1998

Vol. 486 No. 4

Other Questions. - Lone Parent's Assistance.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

26 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the measures, if any, he is considering to allow lone parents to work outside the home and support their families themselves as much as possible in view of his interview (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2552/98]

As I outlined in the newspaper interview, assisting lone parents and their families to achieve greater financial independence and move out of poverty is one of my key concerns.

It is accepted that the most effective route out of poverty is through paid employment and the policy of my Department is therefore to encourage and facilitate lone parents in moving into the labour force. Significant steps have already been taken in this direction with the introduction of an annual earnings disregard in the means test for the one parent family payment. This allows a lone parent to earn up to £6,000 a year and retain title to the maximum rate of payment. While it is too early to assess the success of this measure in encouraging lone parents to take up employment, I am satisfied this is the type of support lone parents need if they are to take advantage of employment opportunities.

Another issue which I am aware is of great significance to lone parents is the withdrawal of rent supplement paid under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, on taking up employment of more than 30 hours per week. This issue is being examined in the context of a commitment in Partnership 2000.

I also consider access to further educational opportunities important for lone parents to improve their chances of securing employment. To this end, lone parents in receipt of one parent family payment can avail of a number of full-time educational opportunities while retaining full title to their social welfare payment under the recently introduced back to education programme.

We need to build on such measures and I assure the Deputy that my Department is actively examining ways of assisting lone parents in gaining a foothold in the labour market and achieving greater financial independence for themselves and their families. In this regard, I look forward to receiving the report of the Commission on the Family, which will be available shortly.

Can I take it the reply given by the Minister in the Sunday newspaper interview was not intended to indicate a clawing back of the allowance for lone parents once they take up work? Concern was expressed to me by lone parents as they felt the reply implied that the allowance they are allowed to retain will be reduced in order to make them less dependent on social welfare.

What proportion of lone parents claim the allowance and also work? There is a perception that every lone parent is working and claiming lone parent's payment, but I understand the proportion is low. Has the Minister a figure for the proportion of married women in the labour force as a comparison?

I do not have a figure for married women in the labour force. According to the 1997 labour force survey, 38,700 lone parents were in employment. The number of people claiming lone parent's allowance was 75,300 in December 1997. Approximately 7,000 lone parents are participating in community employment.

I have no plans to change the allowance and if I gave that impression, it was not intended.

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