Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2016
364. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of one-parent households in consistent poverty; the number of one parent households experiencing deprivation; the way these figures compare to the European average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20567/16]
View answerThe latest CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions for 2014 shows that the consistent poverty rate for lone parent households is 22.1%. This is a slight decrease on the 2013 rate of 23%.
Eurostat does not produce a measure precisely equivalent to the Irish measure of consistent poverty. The closest similar measure relates to households that are both at risk of poverty and severely materially deprived. In 2014, this situation applied to 10.3% of people in lone parent households in Ireland and to 11% of such people in the EU overall.
The deprivation rate for lone parent households in Ireland in 2014 is 58.7%, reflecting a 4.5 percentage point decrease on the 2013 rate. A precisely equivalent measure is not produced by Eurostat. However, the stricter Eurostat measure, severe material deprivation, shows the rate for lone parent households in Ireland in 2014 is 25.1%, reflecting a 7.2 percentage point decrease on the 2013 rate. This compares to an EU average of 19.1% in 2014.
My Department estimates spending €500 million on the one-parent family payment (OFP) scheme in 2016. The scheme supports over 41,000 recipients and almost 74,300 children.
Research shows that being at work reduces the at-risk-of-poverty rate for lone parents by three-quarters, highlighting that the best way to tackle poverty among lone parents is to assist them into employment. The OFP scheme is designed to support this.
The OFP means test is more generous than that of the jobseeker’s allowance, with an income disregard of €90 per week and the balance assessed at 50%. In addition OFP can be paid concurrently with the family income supplement (FIS). These supports encourage lone parents to take up employment thereby helping to tackle poverty rates among these customers.
In Budget 2016 OFP recipients gained a 75% Christmas bonus, a €5 increase in child benefit and an increase of €2.50 per week in fuel allowance. Those in receipt of FIS also benefitted from the increases to the FIS thresholds. Lone parents on Jobseekers Transition Payment (JST) also gained as a result of the closer alignment of the JST means test with the more generous OFP means test.
The social impact assessment of Budget 2016 showed an increase in average household incomes for working lone parents of 2%. Non-earning lone parents also fared above average, gaining 1.8%.
