Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2015
248. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views that thousands of children of lone parents will potentially have no adult supervision, except expensive child care costs, with the cut in the one-parent family payment in respect of those of seven years and older; her plans to resolve this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27317/15]
View answerThe final phase of reforms to the one-parent family payment (OFP) scheme introduced in July of this year now means that eligibility for the payment ceases when a parent’s youngest child turns seven years of age.
When a lone parent’s youngest child turns seven, should they have an income need they can transfer to the jobseeker’s transitional payment. This payment exempts lone parents from the normal jobseeker’s conditionality of having to be available for and genuinely seeking full time employment until their youngest child turns 14 years of age.
The jobseeker’s transitional payment enables a lone parent who wishes to work part time to do so without restriction, provided they satisfy the means test. The introduction of the jobseeker’s transitional payment in 2013 means that lone parents whose youngest child is under 14 years of age are not required to seek employment as a condition of their social welfare payment. This therefore allows these customers to balance their caring responsibilities while supporting them to engage in employment or education should they wish to participate.
Should a lone parent wish to take up employment, or an education or training course they can seek to avail of a range of subsidised childcare places, which are provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and are available through the County Childcare Committees.
