Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Apr 2000

Vol. 518 No. 4

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Code.

Noel Ahern

Question:

216 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will give the background to the rules stating deserted wife's allowance should be taken from a woman whose child reaches 18 and returned to her when she reaches 40; if he will reconsider this rule which seems illogical and only effects women in unfortunate circumstances; and if he will allow persons who qualify for deserted wife's allowance to remain on it without interruption to age 40. [12086/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern):

Originally the deserted wife's allowance – DWA – was available to women with qualified children or to those without qualified children who were over 40 years of age. Similar provisions applied to the deserted wife's benefit – DWB. The schemes were designed to ensure that payment were made only to mothers and to those likely because of age to find it difficult to obtain employment.

On the introduction of the lone parent's allowance – LPA – in 1990 newly separated women with qualified children, who did not have a contributory based entitlement, were directed to the new scheme as were those with children who had been receiving DWA. The DWB scheme remained unchanged at that time. The DWA scheme remained open to women over 40 years of age without dependent children until January 1997 when it and DWB were closed to new applicants. Those who were receiving these payments at the time remain on these as long as they continue to satisfy the qualifying conditions.

From January 1997, the Department's main income support measure for lone parents, including separated people, is the one-parent family payment – OFP. The payment is aimed exclusively at those with qualified children and there is no facility to continue payment when there are no qualified children remaining in a household. One of the objectives of the scheme is to discourage long-term welfare dependency by facilitating lone parents to take up employment and/or training. The income disregard of £115.38 per week which applies to the OFP means test is the main element of this policy.

People who lost entitlement to DWB because they were under 40 years of age and no longer had qualified children may still return to the scheme when they reach age 40. This facility was extended in the Social Welfare Act, 2000, to former DWA recipients who were transferred to LPA in 1990 and then to OFP in 1997. The current arrangements are considered sufficiently flexible.