Martin Ferris
Question:35 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the findings of the report on the one parent family payment, Living on the Book (details supplied). [33319/04]
View answerWednesday, 15 December 2004
Questions (29, 30, 31)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:76 Mr. O’Dowd asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the situation with reference to the review of income support arrangements for lone parents as per the commitment in his Department’s statement of strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33507/04]
View answer
Dan Neville
Question:85 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress that has been made in relation to the NESF recommendation that a system of tracking lone parents be devised in conjunction with the main delivery agencies and data gathered on programme participation and completion; his further plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33505/04]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 35, 76 and 85 together.
A review of the income support arrangements for lone parents has commenced in the context of the preparation of the strategy for families in a changing society, which is also currently underway. In this review particular account is being taken of my Department's review of the one parent family payment, the NESF reports, the OECD report on reconciling work and family life, and other relevant studies including, Living on the Book, published by OPEN, with the support of the Combat Poverty Agency.
These reports show that a relatively high proportion of lone parents, compared with other OECD countries, are not in employment and a relatively high proportion of lone parents and their children are at risk of poverty. The effects of this on the quality of life and the wellbeing of lone parents and their children are well documented in the publication Living on the Book.
The income support arrangements and other supports for lone parents are designed to give them the choice of caring full-time for their children, or taking up employment with a view to ending welfare dependency and achieving a higher standard of living for themselves and their children. A relatively significant earnings disregard of €293 per week has been one of the main ways for encouraging employment participation under the scheme.
In addition, from January 2005, I have provided for a transitional half rate payment for six months where the earnings disregard is exceeded. One parent family recipients may also benefit from my budget improvement in the assessment of capital for means purposes which increases the capital disregard from under €12,700 to €20,000.
However, while this approach has had some success in increasing the employment participation of lone parents, they have not achieved the same levels of employment participation secured by lone parents in similar situations in other countries.
These findings may be pointing to the fact that the current arrangements may not be the most appropriate to facilitate a real choice of employment, and ultimately a better standard of living for lone parents and their children.
My Department, in carrying out the current review, will draw on available policy analysis, including from the NESF, and research findings built up nationally and internationally in recent years. In particular, consideration will be given to the NESF recommendation that a system of tracking lone parents should be developed with a view to analysing the education, training and employment options to which they have access.
It is intended that the outcome of the review will be concrete proposals designed to better support lone parents in achieving a better standard of living, and a better future for themselves and their children.
Question No. 36 withdrawn.