Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 December 2004
99 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will reply to correspondence (details supplied) in terms of social welfare entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32637/04]
View answerThe persons concerned were both in receipt of one-parent family payment. Following their marriage on 2 October 2004 they were no longer qualified to receive this payment. One of the parties concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 7 October 2004. His application was disallowed on the grounds that he was not available for employment. It is open to him to appeal this decision to the social welfare appeals office. A form for this purpose has been issued to him by his local office.
He is currently in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance at the rate €202 per week. The other party is currently on a CE scheme.
100 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, in view of the fact that a person granted deserted wife’s benefit in 1996 has had their income limit fixed without index linking, this can lead, over time, to them losing their deserted wife’s benefit; if he will review this and allow for index linking. [32642/04]
View answerDeserted wife's benefit is a social insurance payment made to a woman deserted by her husband. Entitlement to payment is conditional on satisfying contribution conditions based on the social insurance record of either the wife or her husband.
An earnings limit was introduced for deserted wife's benefit as and from 31 August 1992. The limit, which applied only to new claims after that date, is currently €12,697.38 a year, gross earnings. Where earnings are in excess of this amount, there may be entitlement to a reduced rate of payment of deserted wife's benefit, provided earnings do not exceed €17,776.33 per year gross.
The earnings limit was introduced to more effectively target support on those deserted wives who required an additional supplement to their income until they were able to support themselves and to address inconsistencies between the benefits available under this scheme and those available under the social assistance lone parent's allowance — now replaced by the one-parent family payment — and the deserted wife's allowance scheme, which are both means tested.
The deserted wife's benefit scheme was closed to new applications with effect from 2 January 1997, on the introduction of the one-parent family payment scheme under which an eligible parent with dependent children is entitled to payment irrespective of gender or the circumstances that gave rise to lone parenthood. This scheme is effectively a residual scheme which will disappear over time.
A review of the earnings of deserted wife's benefit cases commenced in mid-2004. Depending on the outcome of the review in each case, clients may experience reduction in their benefit.
I am satisfied that the social welfare arrangements in place for deserted wives and lone parents generally are appropriate and there are no plans for changes on the lines proposed.
